House Tips for Weathering the Cold

The coldest air of the season is here! With the wind chill, temperatures are expected to be in the teens and low 20’s. We have some helpful tips to assist you with preparations for the cold weather.

• Keep your heat at a minimum of 68 degrees at all times, please DO NOT shut your heat off when you leave your home. Even short amounts of times (going to work or running errands) can and will cause the water pipes freeze, if the pipes are not adequately insulated.
• Have your furnace inspected annually. Check the thermostat to make sure that it is working properly.
• If you turn your water faucet on and there is no water, you may have a frozen domestic water line. Call a plumber immediately. Use a hair dryer to thaw frozen pipes that have not burst.
• Keep the faucet open when thawing frozen pipes to allow water to begin flowing through it.
• When temperatures outside are sub-freezing, open cabinet doors where plumbing pipes are located along an exterior wall to allow warm air to reach the pipes. Drip water faucets in the kitchen and bath if you will be gone for more than one day.
• If you have a frozen pipe that bursts, or a fire sprinkler pipe that floods your unit, call the fire department immediately (only for frozen pipes that burst please, not for leaks).
• Familiarize yourself in advance with the location of your main water shut off valve in your home or unit.
• Winterize outdoor hoses to ensure the pipe does not freeze. This includes draining the excess water. Disconnect any garden hose.

About Plowing Our Roads and Streets

As winter approaches, please remember that Hyson Lane and Snead Lane are VDOT state maintained roads, unfortunately, Pinewood Greens Homeowners Association snow removal contractors cannot plow the snow from these streets. Please call VDOT for assistance regarding snow removal on those streets.