Louisiana Home Owners Need This Checklist Before the Temp Drop

After dealing with the snow that hit Shreveport-Bossier in February of 2021, I can tell you that I still have PTSD over it.

Remember when Shreveport's water system was a complete mess? In case you forgot Shreveport had multiple issues when it came to water, frozen pipes, water main breaks, no water pressure, you name it, there were countless problems. Simply put, Shreveport was nowhere near prepared for the mess that we dealt with.

My father's biggest fear is that a pipe will burst in my home so he always calls to remind me to check several things to make the week of dramatic low temperatures much easier. I don't know about you but I want to take all the steps possible so I don't let a rookie mistake cost me money in the long run.

Here Are Things You Must Do to Your Home Before Temperatures Drop.

1. Allow a small trickle of water to run overnight, no this won't mess up your water bill. The preferred way to let a faucet drip is through a faucet on an outside wall.

2. Open all the cabinets under the sink. You need the warm air to make its way all over your home including under the sinks.

3. Know what to do if a pipe bursts. Do you know the locations of your shut-off valves? This will be the quickest way to make sure your home doesn't flood.

4. Turn off automatic sprinklers

5. Make sure you go through and detach hoses from faucets my dad always wrapped the faucets to protect the pipes outdoors. (Most hardware stores sell inexpensive foam exterior faucet covers too)

Also a very important message for all of my friends who use space heaters. Make sure your space heater is at least 4 feet away from anything, I'm talking fabric, papers, furniture anything that could catch fire. Please remember to NOT use an extension cord if you need to use a space heater.