As we transition into the winter season, properly winterizing your properties becomes a top priority. Here are a few reminders to help you get ready for the colder weather. It’s best to complete these few simple tasks before the temperature drops, so make sure to complete your preparations before autumn is over.
- Please make sure foundation vents are properly covered. The Home Depot sells Styrofoam vent covers for standard size vents, as well as sheets of Styrofoam so you can cut covers to size in the event that you have vents that are not standard.
- Install hose bibb covers (the little Styrofoam covers that fit over the garden hose spout.) These are available at The Home Depot (SKU 528444) for about $1.20 each and at HD Supply (item number 911127) for about $3.20 each. Please remember to walk your properties daily, checking to make sure these covers are still in place, as residents have a tendency to remove them and not put them back.
- Make sure the heat is turned up to around 55 degrees in your vacant units, leave the cabinet doors open under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, and turn the water on slightly so there is a small amount of water running out of the faucet. If you have a model unit, don’t forget to include this as well. Remember to walk your vacant units regularly to make sure the pipes haven’t frozen.
- Know the locations of your water shut off valves.
- If you have a swimming pool, please turn up the heater a fraction, just to keep the lines from freezing. You don’t have to set it to 80 degrees, just enough to keep the water in a liquid state. Pools generally don’t freeze unless the temperature drops for an extended period of time, so the heater will only need to be turned on during very cold periods or extended periods of cold.
- Remember, ice melt products are not approved, so you should have a supply of sand or pea gravel available to spread on sidewalks and stairways in heavy traffic areas.
What to do if there is no heat in a unit:
Please treat any heat related work orders as a priority during this time, so make sure any work order for a heater that is not working is addressed on a same day basis. Keep extra thermostats and heater parts on hand, as well as an extra heater or two. It is a good idea to have portable heaters available to leave in a resident’s unit, in case they have a heating issue that cannot be repaired immediately. The amount of portable heaters you should keep on hand depends on the size of your property, so please contact your supervisor if you have any questions as to how many to order. Make sure your pagers are in working order with fresh batteries, as an after hours call for no heat is considered an emergency.
What to do in the event of a burst pipe:
Resident and employee safety is our top priority, so be cautious around icy conditions created by broken pipes.
Water expands when it’s frozen, so when a pipe is full of water and it freezes, that water expands inside the pipe until the pipe bursts. It’s important to understand that pipes do not leak while they’re frozen; it’s when the temperature warms up a little that pipes thaw and they start to leak. Pipes that run through exterior walls are particularly vulnerable, especially in older buildings that don’t have as much insulation. This is why installing exterior faucet covers and leaving cabinet doors open with water running slightly is so important.
If you see water coming out of an occupied apartment, and the resident is not home, it is considered an emergency. You have authority to gain entry to units if the situation poses a direct threat to persons or property. It is imperative to post a Notice of Emergency Entry (available on eForms) at the time when you enter an occupied unit in such a manner. Please contact your property supervisor if you’re unfamiliar with this process.
Keep the phone numbers for your carpet vendors, restoration companies, and fire suppression contractor handy.
When a pipe bursts, the first step to take is to shut off the water. Burst pipes can produce an enormous amount of water, especially if it’s not caught right away. Depending on the severity of the leak, your carpet vendor may be contacted for an extraction, or if the water has saturated walls, ceilings, or the resident’s belongings, a restoration company may be necessary. Check with your property supervisor to help determine if you need a restoration company.
After the water is extracted, determine the amount of damage, then come up with a plan to repair. Make sure all surfaces are completely dry before completing repairs, so a dehumidifier and/or carpet fans may be necessary. In severe cases, it may also be necessary to remove drywall and replace it with new. Wet surfaces contribute to mold issues, so make sure all affected areas are addressed.
Sprinkler systems are not immune from freezing, and since they’re often hidden in ceilings and walls, they become vulnerable, so keep your fire suppression contractor’s phone number handy as well.
Prevention is the key to help keep frozen pipes from turning into expensive repairs. Taking a few simple steps will help save time and money, so please make sure all preventative measures are taken before the weather turns cold, and in the event of a burst pipe, please exercise caution and diligence when responding to a water emergency.
Please feel free to contact your Maintenance Supervisor with any questions.