While many of us have visions of curling up with a fantastic book and a mug of cocoa by a fire or dusting off the ski equipment and hitting the slopes, most savvy homeowners are thinking about preventing winter damage. Sure, winterizing your house is a job, but it is a job best done sooner rather than later. In the end, preventing water damage from happening in the first place will save you the heartbreak and expense of winter water damage.
Get out those shears! It’s time to trim your trees, paying special focus on dead branches. Heavy ice and snow as well as strong winter storms can break trees and shrub branches that can harm your siding or roof, break windows, or damage your car as well as potentially injure someone.
After the trees have been cut back, then get the ladder out and clean out your rain gutters. When rain gutters are clogged with debris, ice dams can form. When this happens, melting ice and snow do not get diverted down the spouts as designed; instead, the melted water seeps to the home, leaking through its walls and ceiling.
On a similar note, check the paths of windows and sliders to make sure the paths and water drainage holes are apparent. If water, ice, or snow can’t flow properly, the water will seep into your walls.
If your home has a crawl space, head underneath your house and checks to be certain all exposed pipes are properly insulated. Do the same for almost any outdoor hose bibs.
If you’ve got a pool or spa, hire a pool specialist to winterize your system.
Indoor Winter Weatherization Steps
Now it is time to move inside. Because frozen pipes are among the chief reasons for winter water damage, pay particular attention to a home’s pipes. All exposed pipes should be suitably insulated. Common places where exposed pipes can be found comprise unfinished garages, basements, mudrooms, and laundry rooms.
Assess and update the insulation in your house, particularly in your house’s attic. This cycle may lead to ice damming which has the capacity to cause water seepage or possibly a collapsed roof.
Now’s a fantastic time to get your heating system, chimney, fireplace, and wood-burning stoves professionally serviced to ensure both safety addition to functionality. You do not wish to find out your furnace is broken when it is freezing outside. When the temperatures drop, heat the home and keep it at least 65 degrees.
Find your pipes system’s shutoff valves and be certain that you can shut the water off quickly should your pipes burst. If necessary, keep a pipe wrench near for valves that aren’t easily adjustable or replace the valves.
Now that you have the house prepped to prevent water damage this winter, you are almost ready to hit those slopes. However, before you leave for an extended ski trip, be certain that you prepare your home for the possibility of water damage while you’re away! Keep the home heated, open under sink cabinets to permit warm air to reach the pipes, and allow your faucets to drip. If you’ll be gone for a long time, consider getting your water system completely drained by a professional.
Check out more information to prepare your house for winter in this informative article. During the cold season, there is also a heightened risk of power outages. Ideas to prepare for winter storm blackouts are available here. For professional mold elimination, in addition to fire and flood restoration services, contact your local PuroClean office or visit puroclean.com for more information.
