Precautionary measures can save home headaches in the bitter cold

UPPER DARBY, Pa. (WTXF) - Cold weather can pose serious problems in the home, such as broken pipes or busted heaters and cause major headaches.

"Pay attention to what it sounds like, it's cycle, does it sound normal?" said heating expert John Cippollone.

Cippollone says that goes for any type of heating system - electric, oil or gas, old or new.

"If it is supposed to be running and it's not, reset it. A lot of times, it takes 15 to 20 seconds. It'll try to start again," said Cippollone.
"If it doesn't?" asked Fox 29's Joyce Evans.
"Well, I would turn it off," Cippollone replied.

And, if there is no switch, get one installed. The safest thing he says a person can do.

"Turn the switch off," Cippollone said.

Even for water pipes to outside spigots.

"You just turn the little valve off, unplug it. When these things freeze, they split," Cippollone explained.
"So you won't see the problem now?" asked Evans.
"You'll see it when it starts to thaw," replied Cippollone.

Cippollone says precautionary measures can save the most headaches down the road, and maybe even save lives.

"If you're going to run a space heater, put a nice, heavy cord on it and don't overload the circuit," Cippollone explained.

He says kerosene heaters are fine as long as people use them properly. How about wrapping pipes in unheated areas?

"It'll slow the process down, but if it stays 10 degrees for two days, the garage is going to be, like, 15 degrees," Cippollone replied. "Don't open and close doors often. You've gotta keep things tightened up. You should see the homes we go in and they never lower the storm windows."

With his knowledge and technology, Cippollone still trusts the ways of old in harsh winter weather. A wood burning stove and oil lanterns are his methods of choice.

"A lot of times, old-fashioned is good," Cippollone added.