Winter in Lake Arrowhead
Is Your Home Ready for winter?
By Mary-Justine Lanyon - Mountain News
It may seem a little late to ask the question. After all, winter started back on Dec. 22. However, with cold weather in the mountains stretching into March or April (and sometimes even later), there are steps we can all take to make our homes safer and more comfortable during the cold weather.
WATER
Marc Lippert, customer service supervisor for Lake Arrowhead Community Services District, said LACSD has already had 60 to 70 calls for frozen or broken pipes.
One of the biggest problems, Lippert said, is some homeowners still have their irrigation systems fully charged in January. "They're supposed to be shut off by Dec. 1, but some of these homeowners haven't done a very good job," he said.
CLAWA (Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency) has only had a couple of calls. Both water districts hope this January does not become a repeat of January 2006, when LACSD alone had 400 to 500 calls for frozen or broken pipes.
"Our crews were on call 24 hours a day," Lippert said.
Both districts have winterizing tips for customers on their websites (www.lakearrowheadcsd.com and www.clawa.org). Both urge customers to disconnect and drain all outdoor hoses. Any pipes in unheated areas--a garage, buildup area or attic--should be insulated. Pipe wrapping materials are available at hardware stores.
Cracks around doors, windows and air vents can let winter winds in, possibly leading to frozen pipes. These cracks need to be sealed off, but don't plug air vents your furnace or water heater need for proper ventilation.
Every person in your family should know where the master shutoff valve is. Should there be a leak, you'll want to turn off this valve. And if you leave your property in the winter--even just for a couple of days--turn the water off.
After turning off the shutoff valve, you'll want to open and drain all your household and irrigation lines. Any trapped water can freeze, causing pipes to expand and break. After draining the lines, be sure to close them.
If you are going to be away from your home for an extended period of time, call your water agency to have them turn off the agency meter. After it is shut off, you will have to open your indoor faucets and let the water drain out of the pipes.
What if you wake up and find out your pipes have frozen? First of all, make sure you have your plumber's phone number handy. Most importantly, do not try to thaw the pipe with a torch with an open flame. This could cause the pipe to burst and could lead to a house fire.
LACSD suggests using a hair dryer on a low heat setting. Be sure to wave the hair dryer back and forth along the pipe; don't concentrate on one spot. Wrapping the frozen section with towels and pouring hot water over them will work, but it's messy.
The pipe may already be broken; it's not leaking because the water is frozen. Once it thaws, the water will rush out. Be ready to use your shutoff valve.
FIREPLACES AND
CHIMNEYS
If you haven't already had your chimney inspected--and cleaned if necessary--it's not too late to do so. With months left in our heating season, mountain residents should make sure their fireplaces and woodstoves are safe to use.
Chief Michael Sherman of the Crest Forest Fire Department said it seems to him there have been more chimney fires so far this year than in the same time period last year.
The problem is a buildup of creosote, caused by burning wood in your stove or fireplace. "The more you burn, the slower you burn, the greener you burn, the more the creosote builds up," Chief Sherman noted.
Nolan Calkins of Sweep's Luck Chimney Service said if people burn pine, which has more sap than harder woods, their chimneys may need to be inspected and cleaned more often--up to three times a year. But for most people, they recommend a yearly inspection. "If it doesn't need to be cleaned, we don't charge for the inspection," he said.
"Some people think if they have their chimney cleaned in the summer, they're all set," Calkins added. "But if they start burning in September, they may need another cleaning. Our rule of thumb is the fireplace needs to be inspected after you've burned about two cords of wood."
People who have fires going 24 hours a day, seven days a week can burn four or five cords over the course of the winter.
Another problem customers have been reporting is having their chimney caps blow off in our recent high winds. Calkins suggests going out and taking a look to be sure if it's in place. "If you can't see it, call us," he said. "We'll come check it for you."
Jason Woodruff of Sooty's Chimney Service expressed concern about people not taking care of their fireplaces. "The numbers seem to be down," he said, "and we don't know why.
"We like to remind people they're bringing a fire into a wood-framed home. There are multiple hazards from a fireplace--cracks and holes that can cause structure fires," Woodruff added.
As fire-certified inspectors, Sooty's does charge for their inspection.
Chief Sherman has some other recommendations for residents who either enjoy using their fireplaces or rely on them as their source of heat.
"Don't use your fireplace when it's very dry with extreme wind," he suggested. But for people who have to use their fireplaces for heat, he urges them to check their chimney screen (or cap) to make sure embers won't fly out.
"We went out on a roof fire just when it started to get cold," Chief Sherman said. "The wind had blown embers onto the shake roof."
Residents should also make sure there are no pine needles or debris on their roofs.
The chief also cautions residents not to burn trash or garbage, which gets hot very fast and can start a creosote fire. "Make sure there are no combustibles near your stove, keep children away from the fire and don't go to bed with a big fire burning."
Finally, the chief said to be sure your smoke detectors are working. "You want to make sure you get advance notice should a fire occur," he said.
FLOODS
Winter in the mountains means rain, snow and possible flooding. Homeowners need to be prepared to protect their homes from unwanted water.
Sand and sandbags are available from the local fire stations. The
OTHER THINGS TO CHECK
Mountain residents know power outages are more common than not during the winter. Between high winds and heavy snow loads, power lines sag and fall from time to time.
If you are one of the many who have a standby generator, take a moment to test it out--before you need it. And nothing seems darker than a house the moment the lights go out. Be prepared with flashlights in every room. And be sure there are fresh batteries in them--otherwise they won't do you much good.
Assistant Editor Cat Robertson contributed to this story. Mountain News.
Detailed Local Forecast
- Tonight: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 28F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
- Tomorrow: A mix of light rain and snow later in the day. Cold. High around 35F. Winds SSW at
- Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy. Low 24F. Winds light and variable.
- Tuesday: Intervals of clouds and sunshine in the morning with more clouds for later in the day. High 38F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
- Wednesday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the upper 20s.
- Thursday: Snow showers possible. Highs in the mid 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
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