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With winter weather upon us, it’s time to prepare for those freezing temps, icy walks and slippery streets. Listed below are some tips to help protect your home from winter damage.
Following these simple instructions could prevent freezing or bursting pipes, which can result in damage that you could be held liable for.
To avoid frozen/broken water lines, disconnect outside water hoses and properly store them in your house or garage.
Ensure your windows and exterior doors, including your garage door, are properly closed. If you are absent from your residence for more than three days, make arrangements with a neighbor or friend to periodically inspect your residence.
Snow removal
Housing residents are responsible for their own snow removal and must ensure their areas are properly cared for. For townhouse residents and multi-unit stairwell residents, areas of responsibilities include driveways, walks, sidewalks, steps, in front of your dumpsters, parking spaces and areas, and fire hydrants within your area.
Snow and ice should be removed from these areas as necessary from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Non-skid grit is available for all residents at Housing U-Fix-It-Stores. Building leaders may pick up shovels and brooms for their stairwell building.
If you plan to be TDY or on leave during the winter season, please ensure your vehicles are off the street prior to leaving. This is extremely important when large snow removal equipment is brought into the housing areas. Private vehicles parked on the street may be damaged due to lack of clearance or poor visibility.
Why do we ventilate our homes?
Concrete walls, concrete floors and concrete ceilings are typical construction for residential housing in Germany. These methods are very energy efficient and provide great sound attenuation between rooms.
However, they also create the potential for mold to flourish. Incomplete and improper ventilation may cause mold to grow on walls, furniture or your personal property. Mold can be unsightly and can create health problems.
Wet, damp weather, combined with closed windows, can cause walls to sweat, further increasing the potential for mildew and mold to prosper.
The key to mold’s growth is moisture. Controlling mold is a matter of controlling moisture. Proper ventilation of your home can control moisture and eliminate mold and mildew problems.
The following tips are will assist you in proper ventilation which will prevent mildew/mold build-up:
• Ventilate your house for a minimum of 30 minutes daily.
• Open windows and interior doors to provide cross ventilation.
• Close your kitchen door and open windows while cooking or using your dishwasher.
• Keep your bathroom door closed while showering or bathing. If you have an exhaust fan, it should be turned on. If there is no exhaust fan, the window should be open.
• Furniture should not be placed against walls. Move furniture 4-6 inches away from walls so there is air flowing along them.
• During winter months, the rooms on the north side of your home will be exposed to colder temperatures. Make sure those rooms are heated slightly more than the rooms that face south.
If your walls are already damp or you already have mold or mildew, first resolve the moisture problem. Then scrub the mildew/mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water and dry completely.
Open your windows so there is a draft. Leave windows open for approximately 10 minutes. Then turn up the thermostat – by increasing the temperature the air will remove the moisture from the walls. After three to four hours, the humidity level will rise again. Open the windows for another 10 minutes and repeat the process of exchanging the water-filled air with dry air from the outside.
Continue to repeat this procedure. Following this process every day for about two weeks will help your walls completely dry. These simple steps should help your family to alleviate any mildew or mold issues in your home.
(Article courtesy of the 86th Civil Engineer Group)
