Brrrr! Baby it’s cold outside
Have you been having as much fun with the cold as I have? One of
the pipes in our barn burst, and we had automatic water troughs
gushing water out which then poured over the floor and froze. Have
you ever seen horses ice skate? There’s a reason why not. It isn’t
a pretty sight.
Brrrr! Baby it’s cold outside
Have you been having as much fun with the cold as I have? One of the pipes in our barn burst, and we had automatic water troughs gushing water out which then poured over the floor and froze. Have you ever seen horses ice skate? There’s a reason why not. It isn’t a pretty sight.
Then the pipe in a garage burst. Why do these things always happen when it’s a Sunday or a holiday (extra charge from the plumber…though well worth it!) and you have friends over?
Is there a way I could have prevented these “Pipesicles”? I went online and found some tips to share with you.
First wait for the next windy day. Inspect your home to see where air is getting in. Wherever you find gaps, apply inexpensive caulking compound to seal small leaks or use expanding aerosol foam insulation for larger openings. If you feel the wind blow in a ventilated crawl space or attic, apply insulation only around the pipes to avoid trapping moisture in these areas.
Local home centers and hardware stores sell pipe insulation sleeves that protect plumbing tube from the cold. Buy the proper sizes matched to the diameters of the pipes you need to protect. (My plumber says pipes can still freeze with these products, so make sure you’ve also plugged any leaks where cold air is entering the house.)
If your kitchen sink is located on an outside wall, leave cabinet doors under the sink open during cold spells to help keep pipes warm. A layer of foam insulation board fitted tightly against the back wall of the cabinet will also keep the cold from seeping through to the pipes.
The freezing nights also have us enjoying the company of our four dogs who normally sleep outdoors. They often get to come in for visits one at a time. Sometimes they even get invited in pairs. But something happens to them when they all get together. They get over-excited and one of them eventually has an unfortunate accident and then it’s Katie bar the door. Whoa, doggies! They all go crazy. I wonder if I got an insulated pipe sleeve in the size of a standard poodle…
Some plants have also bitten the dust around here. How do I know? One day they’re standing there, dormant. After one freezing night later they’re reduced to limp piles of black muck. Next spring it will be interesting to see who’s back and who’s gone.
It sounds like everything is going to hell in a hand basket but there are some things to be truly grateful for in this cold snap. The night stars, not masked by cloud cover, which might warm us, are brilliant in the dark welkin. The crisp air makes me move faster when I’m outside, adding to a sense of wellness and health. And it makes me appreciate the warmth of my bed at the end of the day.
Speaking of beds, are you flipping your mattress around every quarter? It makes it last a lot longer because you don’t end up with those lumps on the heavy side (Don’t look at me!). I always like to move my mattress because it’s really the only time I clean under the bed. I barely have time to keep the places we can see clean, let alone get on my hands and knees to get to those we can’t. And I find interesting things. This time it was a pair of sandals I thought I had lost (not that I’ll wear them anytime soon), fifty-seven cents in change, and two antique pocket knives from my grandfather’s company (Don’t even ask: I have no idea!). If you find anything interesting next time you flip your mattress let me know. I’m kind of curious about what gets under beds…and how and why.
Okay, let’s get out of the house and into the market. This last week has seen a reduction in inventory again as listings expire or are withdrawn. Quite a few homes closed escrow, and there were a number of sales. It’s too soon to call this a trend, but it appears the market has begun to swing back into the normal market. It had swung far in favor of the buyer for a short period of time, but it looks like that time has passed. Buyers can expect to find a large selection of great homes in every price category, and sellers will still need to be willing to negotiate on price or terms. In other words, it’s looking like a normal market.
Because more emphasis will be put on the negotiation of a deal, this is the time to make sure the real estate professional representing your interests has not only a commitment to service, but a good deal of skill as well. How can you tell? Get a recommendation from a friend or family member for the name of someone who handled a past transaction well. Interview a few. Make sure you find someone local who matches your style.
And be kind to your Realtor!
