- Close the vents around the foundation of your townhome (this is for units with a crawl space). You may need to use a screwdriver to push the grate over because they can accumulate some rust.
- Turn off the water supply to the outside spigots. The cutoff valve for the back spigot in crawl space units is located under the kitchen sink. The front spigot cut off valve is in the utility closet where the water heater is located. Cut offs for basement units are in the basement, one on the front wall and one on the back wall. ONCE THESE ARE TURNED OFF, BE SURE TO OPEN THE OUTSIDE SPIGOTS ALL THE WAY. This will drain the excess water out of the line. Otherwise, the excess water will freeze in the pipe and you will have a mess when it thaws.
- When the temperature drops below freezing be sure to leave your cabinet doors under the sinks in the kitchen and bathrooms open so that heat can get to the pipes. You also want to let the water run in a very slow stream to prevent freezing pipes. REMEMBER, COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH FROZEN PIPES AND THEIR DAMAGE IS THE TENANTS RESPONSIBILITY.
- Lastly, be sure to change those air filters in the wall every month. This should be done throughout the year because the dust, pet hair and smoke that are sucked through the return vent get captured in the filter. When the filter gets clogged the furnace and central air can’t operate and the system will shut down which means no heat or a/c. The filters can be purchased at any hardware store, Wal-Mart, Kmart and sometimes grocery stores. They are very inexpensive and it will save you a lot of aggravation.
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