Winter SOS: Who You Gonna Call?

Winter S.O.S.: Who You Gonna Call?

By Kathleen Moran, House and Home Writer

Winter emergencies are notorious for occurring at the worst of times. Accurately assessing the severity of a situation can help determine whether to attempt a fix on your own or defer to a pro. If it’s the latter, it can be a struggle to find the right match, especially in a pinch.

CONSULT YOUR LOCAL BUILDERS ASSOCIATIONS

Local builders associations are a tool every homeowner should utilize as they make it easier to find qualified pros.

Shelby Roberts, executive officer for the Builders Association Kosciusko Fulton Counties, encourages homeowners to visit the organization’s website, which categorizes members by the type of service offered like plumbing or handyman. This resource is easily accessible and Roberts indicated,“Some members, depending on the type of emergency, actually waive the higher service fees for weekend and/or holiday hours.”

Furthermore, homeowners can implement preventative measures to minimize the chances of emergency situations, including “leaving cabinet doors open in kitchens and bathrooms and running faucets to help prevent the pipes from freezing.”

Bob Penrose, executive officer of the Home Builders Association of St. Joseph Valley, also directs homeowners to his association’s website, www.hbasjv.com, in the event of an emergency. The “Find-a-Member” section allows for alphabetical searches as well as those done by keyword or category. “An annual printed version of the member directory is also available. Although helpful, it is not updated in real time” like its digital counterpart, according to Penrose.

Like Roberts, Penrose emphasized the value in preventative measures. “Homeowners can clean out their gutters to reduce the risk of them freezing, disconnect outside hoses and verify the seal on windows and doors to ensure there are no areas of potential heat loss,” he explained.

Photo courtesy of Overhead Door Company

GARAGE DOOR TROUBLESHOOTING

Winter emergencies often involve one’s garage door. Martin Madden, CEO and owner of the Overhead Door Company of South Bend, outlined three typical emergencies involving the overhead door: it will not close, it will not open and the remote will not work. The company offers “a handy troubleshooting guide on its website that walks homeowners through potential emergencies, how to solve them and when to direct the professionals on-site.”

Something as simple as snow or a shovel blocking the photo eyes of a sensor can disable the door from closing. According to Madden, “Removing excess snow from the lens of the sensor often allows the door to operate properly.”

When a remote does not appear to be working, it technically is. In reality, “the operator can’t lift the door by itself when the spring that essentially moves the door is compromised, meaning the door won’t open as it should.”

Coach House Garages Vice President of Sales Rick Otto also spoke to common winter emergencies involving one’s garage door when it will not open. “When the spring that attaches to the door via a cable is broken, it is best to call in the experts because the spring is under pressure and its uncoiling could result in a fatal accident.”

“Importantly, make sure that the torsion spring, rollers and door hinges are sprayed with a silicone-based lubricant once or twice a year rather than WD-40 that produces a greasy mess where dust easily collects.” And, depending on the outside temperature, homeowners are discouraged from pouring hot water around the base of the door because this can result in the door refreezing. n

Photo courtesy of Coach House Garages

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Don’t be Left in the Cold

Nothing is worse than having the furnace or the power go out in the middle of winter. In a pinch, here are tips to stay warm until help can arrive. • Call an HVAC professional if your furnace is not working.

Even if they cannot fix it right away, most will have emergency space heaters an employee can deliver for use until heat is restored. • Use fireplaces and space heaters to produce heat. Never use the stove or oven to warm the house; this is a fire hazard. • Hang towels or blankets in drafty areas to minimize the flow of cold air. • Close the doors to any unnecessary rooms to preserve as much warm air in the heart of the home. • Dress warmly and press spare blankets into service.

Remember mittens are better than gloves. Also, wear a hat since most body heat is lost through the top of the head. • Open cabinet doors beneath sinks to prevent freezing pipes. • If you find yourself without power, many of the steps detailed above should be used. Kerosene and propane heaters make great alternatives to electric heat sources for a short time. • Always have carbon monoxide alarms installed. Generators, furnaces and other appliances can be carbon monoxide sources.

RESOURCES:

Builders Association of Elkhart County, Elkhart, 574-293-0997, www.baec.com Builders Association Kosciusko Fulton Counties, Warsaw, 574-267-6125, www.bakfc.com Coach House Garages, 574-534-1400, www.coachhousegarages.com Home Builders Association of St. Joseph Valley, Mishawaka, 574-258-0411, www.hbasjv.com Overhead Door Company of South Bend, 888-513-2826, www.1800overhead.com

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