Crime and Weather

Let’s talk about Crime and Weather. Do crime and weather go together? Generally, no. However, the weather at the end of this week promises to be exciting but also destructive.  While the good news is we will have a white Christmas, there is bad news that should get your attention – especially if you will not be home during the holidays.

First let’s talk crime, weather is next.

Most of our customers know it has increased in our area.  Ironically, most victims make it easy to become victims.  What to do?  The bad guys know our area will empty out during the holidays.  Keep outside lights on all night.  Front and back.  Next, have some lights on inside the house on multiple floors.  Timers are the name of the game.  Cheap and easy.  Keep the bad guys guessing. They will move down the line to the next house that looks unoccupied.  Lastly, please, please, please have someone grab your mail, flyers, and the free newspapers.  Have someone put your garbage cans away too.

Security systems on please.

Cars in the driveway.  Locked with fobs, purses, house keys, and briefcases inside your house.  Remember, if a car can be opened, the bad guys can press the garage button and get inside your house.

Now let’s talk damage from weather. 

The temperatures will be frigid and combined with high winds and buildings don’t like this.  So, if you will be traveling, keep your furnaces not lower than 62.  Open cabinet doors for any fixture on or near an outside wall.  The pipe under a sink usually does not freeze, it’s the pipe in the wall feeding the fixture that freezes.  Opening cabinet doors allows more air to circulate inside the cabinet so the pipes hidden inside the walls stay warmer than if the doors were closed. 

Modern day HVAC systems vent to the outside through large PVC pipes through your basement wall, about 18” above the ground.  Depending on wind direction, snow drifts can cover these vent pipes.  As a result, your furnace will then stop working.  Thankfully the fix is cheap, quick and easy.  Go outside and brush the snow away and your unit will start working again.

Another measure is to turn your humidifiers off and then turn your water main off in the basement.  If a pipe does freeze and break you will have minimal damage, if any.

Lastly, ice dams. 

These are very destructive and occur from heavy snow laying on your roof.  As a result, damage happens when outside temperatures warm and a thaw begins.  What to do?  Hire a roofer that has insurance and a roof rake to clear problematic areas.  It is not cheap because it is difficult and dangerous work but the cost will be a lot cheaper than the damage an ice dam causes.  DO NOT CLEAR YOUR ROOF YOURSELF!

You know the best thing about all this advice?  You don’t need an app! Visit our website for more home care tips and remodeling ideas. Visit weather.com for frequently updated forecasts in your area.

Merry Christmas everyone!