Tips to Keep Your Home & Property Safe In Freezing Weather

By Ralph R. Manento – Owner Royal Security Services, Inc.

Here are a few tips on how to keep your property safe from frozen or broken water pipes.

Before the weather freezes, you should:
** Wrap all exposed pipes located outside or in un-heated areas of the home.
**Remove garden hoses from outside faucets.
**Cover vents around the foundation of your home.
** Know where your property owner’s cut-off valve is located and how to use it. The valve should be located adjacent to the water meter box under a 6”metal lid.
** Turn off irrigation systems during the winter months to protect pipes and conserve water.
When the Weather Freezes:
**Open cabinet doors under sinks adjacent to outside walls.
** In unheated garages, shut off water supply.
** In sustained sub-freezing take extra precautions to protect pipes that have frozen in the past.
Tips for when you are not home:
** Shut water off at the property owner’s cut-off valve.
** Drain all outside water faucets if your house will be unoccupied for more than 1 week.
** Leave home heating system on at low setting.
** Open cabinet doors under sinks.

Heater Safety:
Have a professional inspect and service your central heating unit each year. Keep the area around space heaters clear. “SPACE HEATERS NEED SPACE”. Heaters should be at least three feet away from anything that can burn. Electrical and Kerosene heaters should automatically shut off if the unit is tipped over or overheats. Make sure heaters are inspected and cleaned at least once a year before put in use. When using kerosene heaters make sure the area is well vented or a window is partially opened to let fresh air in. This prevents carbon monoxide from building up in the living areas of your home. Choose models that are UL-listed with digital readout. Follow manufactures instructions, and keep pets away from space heaters.

Fireplace Safety:
Make certain to open the flue in the fireplace before lighting a fire. Only burn hardwoods such as oak.
Burn only one log at a time. Due to their construction, these logs produce a hotter fire than most
firewood. Do not burn paper (including newspaper and giftwrap). Make sure fires are out before going
to bed or leaving the house. Keep children away from the fire. Always cool the ashes before taking them
out of the fireplace. Place the ashes in a non-burnable container before putting them in a trash
container or dumpster.

Make sure the batteries in your smoke detectors are replaced once a year. Hold regular fire drills in your
home and instruct everyone to go to a central gathering point where they can all be accounted for. If
you have any questions regarding keeping your property safe and secure during the winter months, you
can contact Royal Security Services at 1-800-488-7692.