Many Southern California residents move here from the northeast and midwest, parts of the country where winter isn’t fooling around when it arrives. But now that they’ve relocated to the sunny and warm west coast they believe they can say goodbye to cold weather habits, such as buying snow shovels and ice scrapers, putting up storm windows, and winterizing any outdoor pipes.
Sorry to break the news, but…not so fast on that last one.
While the chances of a blizzard in Long Beach are unlikely, temperatures here do drop far enough to damage pipes if they are not protected.
If you still don’t have the checklist you used before you moved, use this one.
- Shut off exterior faucets. Drain water from outdoor pipes, valves, and sprinkler heads to protect against pipe bursts.
- Disconnect the hose from the outdoor spigot.
- Wrap outdoor pipes in towels, foam tube or heat tape
- Flush the hot water heater tank to remove sediment, and check the pressure relief valve to make sure it’s in proper working order.
- If you have a swimming pool, lower the water level.
If you need any help preparing your home for winter, contact our plumber referral service. We have professional, experienced plumbers in your city who can discuss your needs and take whatever precautionary steps are necessary to avoid cracked pipes and other plumbing emergencies.
