This is a topic that is very close to my heart – since last week I was awoken at 5:30am, after the coldest evening in nearly a decade in this area, to a very angry wife demanding to know why the shower wasn’t working.
I was immediately gripped by fear – what are we going to do? Are our pipes frozen? How do we prevent the pipes from bursting? What happens if they do? Do I have to go in to the CalCas office without a shower?
Prevention: An ounce of prevention here is worth a pound of cure. If you know it’s going to be very cold, leave your faucets open a very small amount to keep the water moving. Open your cabinets to expose plumbing to room temperature air. This will help prevent pipes from freezing…but what should you do when they DO freeze?
First – you should open your faucets, one at the very least. This is because as you heat up the pipes, it’s possible you’ll create steam. That steam needs a place to release to, especially since the expanding ice may already be stressing your plumbing.
Second – expose as many areas of plumbing as you can to warmed indoor air. Open up your cupboards and bathroom vanities (make sure you gather up any toxic materials if you have pets or little ones around the house).
Third – use a hairdryer or heat gun to warm the frozen pipes. Be very careful doing this, as even a hairdryer can get hot enough to cause burns. You can also try rubbing the pipes with a towel soaked in warm water.
You definitely want to be home when your pipes thaw because there’s always a chance a pipe has ruptured, which is something you can’t tell until the ice inside them has thawed.
You should also make yourself aware of the location of your main water shutoff valve and how to close it. If a pipe does burst, it can do a great deal of damage to your home very quickly.
Another question that is very important is “Does my homeowner’s/renter’s policy cover damage caused by frozen pipes.” The answer to that is, probably. However, coverage can vary from policy to policy and from state to state, so it’s vital you check your policy before anything happens!
For those that were concerned – a few minutes with a hairdryer got my pipes thawed, and, much to the relief of my coworkers here at CalCas, I was able to shower and make it in to the office.
For many, the highlight of the Super Bowl is the commercials shown in between the game action. While a lot of people are saying the commercials were a bit of a disappointment this year – there were still a few gems shown last night.
After conducting a very informal and unscientific survey around the CalCas offices in Leawood, KS – I determined that the Volkswagen spot featuring a young Darth Vader was the favorite amongst employees.
What was your favorite ad? Share away in the comments or on our Facebook page.
At California Casualty, we’re proud of the fact that we provide amazing service to groups that contribute so much to our community. Firefighters are one of those groups, and the Firefighter App from the San Ramon Valley Fire Department is an example of the great things these guys do on a daily basis.
This app, which is currently available for iPhone (Workday is helping develop the app for other platforms), alerts users when an emergency is happening in their area. This means that those trained in CPR and/or the use of AED’s in the area can respond – saving minutes that could result in saving a life.
You can see the screen shot of the app below, and I encourage you to visit their site, learn more, and look for it coming to your area soon!
As a way to say “thank you” for all the great things CEA members do for our community, California Casualty is giving away $5,000 to a lucky educator in Colorado.
The $5k will go towards an “Ultimate School Lounge Makeover” – where the school and designers will work together to make the school’s lounge a comfortable, modernized refuge from the rigors of the school day.
Makinya Ward, a CalCas employee and one of the project coordinators had this to say:“the winner has many options to choose from including a flat screen television, computer equipment with access to online publications, sofas, wall paintings, coffee stations, pop corn machines, and much more. We are really proud to bring a little light to our heroes in the schools.”
The contest is open to all CEA members, but you have to enter to win. It’s also important to share the contest with all the other CEA members in your school, because the more entries your school has, the better its chances to win.
Colorado is the first of many states that we want to offer this contest in – we want to give as many people as possible the chance to win a School Lounge Makeover. If you want this contest in your state, comment below or let us know on Facebook!
This is a topic that is very close to my heart – since last week I was awoken at 5:30am, after the coldest evening in nearly a decade in this area, to a very angry wife demanding to know why the shower wasn’t working.
