The snow keeps on coming and if you live in Sunriver, this is the time to get it removed.  For some areas in Sunriver the snow depth on the houses has exceeded 3 feet.  Roofs are engineered for 2 feet of heavy wet stuff and 3 feet of the light stuff.  If the pitch is good – it will start sliding off.  If the roof is in the sun – then hopefully mother nature will help it along.  But if you are in the shade and the snow is building up, it is time to call in the experts and pull down the snow. 

This is NOT the recommended way to get your pipes working!   A house burned down on Friday afternoon in Bend when a contractor used a propane torch to thaw out the pipes. 

http://www.kbnd.com/256756.aspx

It is very important to use licensed and insured contractors and workers on your home.  At Home Fridays we insist on this requirement.  Accidents do happen and it is important to be covered.  The snow removal guy might slide into the garage or the house cleaners might knock over a lamp.    One tool is the Oregon Construction Contractors Board.  They have a great website http://oregon.gov/CCB/  where you can input the contractors license and make sure they are current and do not have any complaints filed against them.  In the case of a dispute, you can use the contractors board to help you reach a solution. 

Nothing is quite as fun as trying to find out where the pipes are frozen!  Keeping a house warm and water running is the easiest way to keep the pipes from freezing.  But even occupied houses can have frozen pipes.  The key is to open up the faucets when you relaize the pipes are frozen.  That way the water has somewhere to go when the water starts to thaw – hopefully preventing any burst pipes.  Another prevention technique is to wrap exposed pipes with heat tape.  This is great for   pump houses, utility sinks in the garage and anything that is very exposed (such as an exterior wall that is not insulated). 

Wells often freeze and you can’t do much except wait for the weather to warm up or have a professional in to thaw out the well parts (the nipple often freezes).  I have had utility meters freeze at the street due to lack of insulation.  In that case we packed the utility box (usually found at the end of the driveway or on the street) with newspaper to insulate the meter. 

Prevention is the key – unhooking garden hoses will help prevent freezing in the hose bibs.  Covering hose bibs with insulated covers helps keep them from cracking.  Closing the foundation vents and using foam inserts helps to keep the under house temperatures warm enough to prevent freezing.  And of course, keeping the temperature up in the house and cupboards open under all the sinks to improve airflow and increase the temperature.

One owner in a brand new house had a faulty furnace.  Of course with no regular visits to the house (they were not a Home Fridays customer) the cold issue was not discovered.  The owners use their house primarily in the summer and had left winter care to a local relative.  When the heat shut off the house became cold and the pipes in the upstairs bathroom burst.  The water ran, and ran, and ran for several months.  A contractor passing by the house noticed the water running down the driveway on top of the ice and wondered what was going on.  A look at the water meter (spinning madly) and the ice on the inside of the windows pointed to a serious issue.  Imagine receiving that phone call!

The house repair has taken almost 2 years.  Problems continue today with damage caused during the repair and window leaks that have not been identified.  Is the leak caused by something the builder did or the result of the leak that was just above the window in question? 

HOME FRIDAYS SOLUTION  to this problem is to have regular visits to the home.  If the heater problem was found within a week – the pipes would have been saved.  And the owners would not have spent two years, countless dollars and many headaches trying to resolve the issue.   Another note is that ‘drive by’ management does not work.  Until the water was running out the garage, the house looked fine from outside.  An ounce of prevention!

Low profile, quiet flush toilets where very populer in the early 1980′s and a common choice of home builders (especially in Sunriver).  2007 appears to be the ‘end of the life’ for many of these toilets. 

WHAT HAPPENED - Through our weekly inspection and hands on with the plumbing several toilets in different houses were found to be leaking.  The tank hose on both toilets was leaking and dripping down the hose.  On one home the leak was going under the tile floor and was not easily apparent. 

HOME FRIDAYS SOLUTION- Turning the water off at the base of the toilet helped to stop the flow.  A plumber was called in and the toilets replaced.  The drip that was under the tile was a little bigger issue as it was difficult to get the sub-floor dried out.  Fans brought in and dehumidifiers did the trick.  Thankfully neither of these toilets damaged the rest of the house and the problem was brought easily under control. 

Another home owner had a similar problem prior to working with Home Fridays.  The housekeeper knew the toilets leaked, so she shut off the valve.  Unfortunately she never communicated the problem to anyone for repair.  So when the toilets were left on by unsuspecting guests – they leaked and flooded the entire main floor.  The repair was minor for the toilets, but the damage to the carpets and furniture and time out of the house was substantial.   

It is always best to find the little drips before they become a major issue.  Of course with a vacation home this requires hands on inspection on a regular basis - as a leak can become a major issue in little to no time at all. 

WHAT HAPPENED – When inspecting washing machines it is important to touch the hoses.   We have found hoses and faucets that are going bad and starting to drip.  When the drip starts the hose or faucet will feel damp.  This can be an older set of hoses – or a new set that is not built with top of the line materials. 

 HOME FRIDAYS SOLUTIONS- This little drip is easy to fix – coordinate with a licensed plumber to have faucet and/or hose replaced.  Crisis is easily adverted before the house is flooded.

WHAT HAPPENED – Recently we found a damp floor in the office, under the book shelf.  Further investigation of a what looked like a coffee stain – turned up a substantial soggy mess.  The water ran along the wall under the book shelf and under the window (in an L shape).  It was obvious that something was going on behind the wall.

HOME FRIDAYS SOLUTION – The water was turned off to to the house immediately to prevent any more water leaking out (we wanted to protect the wood floors just a few feet from the leak).  A contractor and plumber were brought on-site within 30 minutes who specializes in water damage and restoration.  Further examination uncovered a crack in the pipes behind the wall.  The carpet was pulled, the leak repaired and the insurance company was called.  Within a week the house was back together – the carpet was cleaned and restretched and the office received a new coat of paint.  What could have been a major water event, was just a blip in the radar and the owners were able to enjoy the house with very little interruption.

Snow is the focus of Central Oregon winter weather and what many owners are not aware of is their own personal liability.  If you live in an area with sidewalks, you are liable for the safety of the sidewalks and walkway into your home.  So should your mailman or neighbor slip on your sidewalk, they can come after you the homeowner.  Yet another reason to make sure the sidewalks and entrance to your home are cleared.  And if you have a homeowners association, make sure they are taking care of it – right up to the front door. 

When we have heavy snow in Central Oregon the roads are plowed.  And when the roads are cleared, little consideration is given for the homeowners driveways.  As a result berms are created at the entrance to the driveway and block entrance to the home.  Of course the next step is the freeze and thaw cycle which creates a pile of ice – and stops all access to the home!  It is important to clear the snow when the berm is created before the ice forms.   Recent snow here in Sunriver created burms in some areas  over 4 feet high!