In the winter time, as the temperature drops, the water pipes in your home are more likely to become frozen.  If they do become frozen, there is a strong likelihood they will burst.

Burst pipes will start leaking water quite quickly and before you know it, your carpets and other valuable items may be damaged or destroyed.  This is not exactly an ideal situation for a homeowner!

That is why preventative maintenance is so important for the security of your home and family.

Here are some things that you can do to prevent this from happening to your home:

1)    Insulation – Make sure there is plenty of insulation around the water tanks.
2)    Insurance – Make sure you have adequate insurance or it could cost them a large sum of money to fix.
3)    Stop tap – Make sure you know where it can be found in case of an emergency.
4)    Washers – Place one in each tap if it is dripping to prevent freezing.  Dripping taps can freeze and cause blockage.
5)    Assistance from friends/neigbours – If you go on a vacation during winter, make sure your friends and/or neighbours can come over to check on the pipes from time to time.

In the event you do have a burst pipe, try and do as much as you can to minimize the damage such as:

•    Covering valuable items in your home.
•    Finding the stop tap and shut off the water.
•    Starting thawing out the pipes and make sure that there is a sink nearby you can use to drain the thawed water.
•    Calling a plumber right away.

It is often said that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.  When it comes to the best asset you will ever own, it is a smart idea to make sure that it keeps its value and protects your family for many years to come.

During the winter months, rodents and insects, like people, want to find a nice warm place to call home.

In condo buildings, they can find many ways to enter your condo and once they get in, they can cause a lot of damage to your home, affect your health, and can be a source of stress to you and your family.

In condos, similar to apartments, other tenants may not inspect their living spaces actively and this may affect your apartment by allowing easy access to where you live. Insects and rodents can spread like wildfire so you definitely want to minimize and remove any of these potential threats.

Here are some ways you can prevent them from entering your home:

1) Make sure you mop up and clean any damp areas in your apartment.
2) Cover any food that is left out and make sure any garbage is tied up.
3) Wipe down counters and clean any sweet smells lingering around your place regularly.
4) Remove garbage on a regular basis.
5) Seal any holes, cracks and crevices in bathtub tiles, wall edges, water pipes, and open spaces behind refrigerators.
6) Window screens can help to block out insects effectively if they are installed correctly and are not damaged.

An infestation can happen quite quickly so it is important that you report any issues immediately to your building manager so the problem can be segregated and dealt with right away.

Your condo is your home and you want to protect it from any damages from unwelcome visitors.

What do you think of when you think of winter? As a kid, it always reminded me of the start of the holiday season and as Canadians, we are reminded of this each time we walk into the local department store at the mall with the lights and Christmas-themed music.

I also remembered the first snowfall and watching my dad go out and shovel snow off the driveway and the roof. When I was young, I never realized why my dad decided to remove it off the roof. I always thought it made the house look more bright and appealing.

However, with the beauty comes the negative aspect of keeping the snow and ice on the roof: It can add hundreds of pounds of weight to your roof and a build-up can lead to wall and ceiling cracks, even roof collapses.

Here are some steps you can take to keep your roof in good shape:

* Proper insulation – reducing the ice build-up can also reduce your heating bills! Snow can often turn into a crust of ice that will continue to build during the winter especially if your roof is warm. Therefore, proper insulation ensures that the warmth stays in the living areas and it does not escape to the attic and eventually the roof.

* Quick removal – shovel off snow after a heavy snowfall if it can be done safely. Snow can often turn into a crust of ice that will continue to build during the winter especially if your roof is warm. The more snow that accumulates on your roof, the more it is susceptible to collapses. Also make sure that the gutters are clear from any debris to prevent blockage.

* Smart removal – make sure you are careful to remove the ice and snow without causing damage to the roof. Damaging the roof can cause leaks and will require costly repair.

* Safety – make sure that you are careful not to slip on the icy roof and not to place your snow-clearing instrument near any low-hanging power lines.

Because winter poses the biggest threat to your roof’s durability, making sure that you keep your roof in good condition will ensure that it will last through the current winter months and beyond.

What is odorless, tasteless, invisible, should never be touched, and travels at the speed of light-409,200 km per second? It’s electricity and this holiday season it is setting neighborhoods ablaze. Glittering lights bedeck houses, Santa’s wave and Rudolph’s blink from the lawns. Christmas is the time to warm the chilly nights with the glow of the holidays. For some of us, it’s also the season to indulge that kid inside-the one who wants the biggest brightest display. If your electric company likes you, ensure that your insurance company does too.

Every year there are hundreds of injuries and home fires in Canada caused by mishaps with electrical holiday decorations. When you plug a device into the wall, the current being used has already traveled from your local power company down distribution lines to a transformer attached to your home. In the transformer, the voltage is lowered to a level that your home can utilize, however, that voltage is still high enough to cause fatal shocks and spark fires. This is a modern convenience that deserves respect! Remember to exercise a few precautions.

Only use lights and extension cords approved for outdoor use. These are well insulated and designed to be waterproof. When you hang your lights be sure that all plugs are well above the ground and away from any moisture. Snow and rain can make that difficult, so try to position plug connections just under the roof awning. Insulated staples are the best way to secure lights to your house and trees-just ensure that the staples do not pierce the cord. Thumbtacks and nails are not recommended.

Many homeowners leave their lights on continuously. This is a dangerous practice since lights and cords can become quite hot from prolonged use, melting the plastic components and exposing the wires to moisture. Water and electricity are a recipe for disaster.

Electricity can travel easily through metals and liquid or anything with liquid in it-that includes trees, animals and people. Never touch a string of lights that you suspect may be damaged or has fallen in a puddle. First shut off the power to that outlet from your fuse box. Only then should you remove the faulty lights or other decorations.

When replacing bulbs, check the manufacturer’s instructions or the cord itself to ensure you are using the correct wattage. If you replace a low-wattage bulb with a higher-wattage bulb you risk sparking a fire. Also check the directions on joining multiple light strands. If you cannot locate the information, do not attempt to join more than three strands.

The socket itself presents a high risk of electrocution. Always replace bulbs and inspect sockets when the device is unplugged. Remove any moisture or debris in the sockets as these can result in bulbs that don’t illuminate, or worse, become fire hazards. Discard strings with cracked sockets. Tighten all the bulbs.

Remember to turn off your lights and other decorations when you go to bed. A fire truck siren is a terrible way to wake up! It’s a good idea to turn off the lights every time you leave the house-even if you’re just run out for a last minute gift. You will save yourself both worry and electricity.

Happy holidays and may the season be bright!