| It happens to the best of us, the water heater | | | | furnace to at least 55 degrees and open the |
| burning out or main line backing up. But there's good | | | | cupboards under your sinks so the warmer air can |
| news! Many of the expensive repairs around your | | | | get to the pipes. This helps prevent freezing. Insulate |
| home are preventable given your pipes aren't | | | | your pipes. |
| corroding. | | | | - Drain your water heater once or twice a year. This |
| Here is a list of easy tasks to implement to the | | | | flushes out the sediment on the bottom of the |
| plumbing around your home. Trust me on this one, | | | | heater that can corrode through the bottom and |
| they're worth it: | | | | leave you with an expensive repair. |
| - Disconnect all of the hoses to your home in about | | | | - Buy strainers for your sinks and bathtub. These are |
| October or November. This will help prevent freezing | | | | inexpensive gadgets that can be bought at any home |
| of pipes that are a headache to replace the following | | | | improvement store. Preventing hair, wedding rings |
| spring. Not to mention preventing water damage. | | | | and other objects that could clog the drain are well |
| Freezeless hose bibs are also a smart investment. | | | | worth the investment. |
| - When going on vacation, set water heater to "pilot" | | | | - Don't put anything down your garbage disposal that |
| or "vacation". Not only will this save you possible | | | | could jam it such as bones, rice, chicken skin, grease, |
| damage to your home, it will help your energy bill as | | | | thick skins of fruits and veggies such as avocados, |
| well. On a side note, if vacationing in winter, keep the | | | | and anything that could expand. |