Angie’s List: Prepping your home for the winter

Cold winter weather can take a toll on homes. That's especially true for pipes and plumbing. Preparing for winter now can save you headaches and money later.

Mike Beltrami is a plumber with Mike and Steve Plumbing.

He said, "They need to make sure their hoses are taken off their faucets, outdoor faucets."

Beltrami recommends starting outside your home. The hose that helps keep your grass green, can make a mess if you let it sit out all winter.

"If you leave this hose on here, this stays full of water. And then what happens, they split. And you don't know it until spring and you turn your water on. And then you have water in your crawlspace or in your basement,” said Beltrami.

Beltrami also recommends closing crawlspace vents or sealing them off.

Angie Hicks of Angie's List said for those planning winter vacations; be sure to prepare the plumbing prior to leaving.

"If you've had problems in the past where the pipes might freeze, you should really talk to a plumber," said Angie. "To see if there are things they can do to protect it. Because the last thing you want to do is be away from home and have a pipe burst."

According to Beltrami, one way to avoid problems during extreme cold is to open cabinet doors on any sinks on outside walls. At the same time, when the temperatures dip into the teens and lower, let a little water run from the sink faucets. That's especially important on those sinks that sit on outside walls.

Covering the water heater in the winter and doing the same with the water softener can help cut back on energy costs.

And if either one or both of them are in the garage, it can help keep problems from developing.

If you do get a frozen water pipe, you need to know how to shut off the homes entire water system.

Beltrami said, “Everybody should locate the main and know where it is. And if it's outside or in a crawlspace, it's a good idea to have a plumber come in and make it accessible to em."

And shutting off the water is the first step you need to take if you suspect one of your pipes has frozen.

Sometimes, simply letting it warm up slowly will be enough to melt it. But if you don't know what to do or how to do it, it's a good idea to hire a professional.