How to Avoid Winter Damage

Michigan residents are no strangers to winter weather. While a fresh snowfall can be beautiful, harsh winter conditions can cause problems to your home. To keep the cold out and reduce energy costs, you can seal cracks and gaps around windows and doors and maintain a consistent indoor temperature. However, preventing cold weather damage to your property takes additional steps, such as:

Interior Damage

Frozen pipes are the main cause of home damage in the winter months. When temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, pipes are susceptible to freezing. The following are tips to stop frozen pipes.

Pipes: Wrap exposed pipes in areas like basements, garages, and crawl spaces with foam insulation sleeves or heating tape. Leave cabinet doors and attic doors open to allow heated air to reach pipes. During extreme cold, keeping faucets dripping can also prevent freezing.

Pipes are more prone to freezing when the indoor temperature is inconsistent. Adjust your thermostat to avoid any large fluctuations. 

Garage: If there are garage water supply lines, close the garage door to keep them above freezing temperatures. 

Water shut-off valve: In case of an emergency, be certain you know where your main water shut-off valve is located and can access it easily. 

Exterior Damage

While keeping your home safe and comfortable inside, don’t neglect your outdoor property. Here are some tips to avoid exterior issues.

Sidewalks and driveways: Clearing snow and ice from your driveway and sidewalks prevents slips and injuries. Ice can also damage these areas by causing cracks from freezing and thawing.

Roof: If there is a heavy snowfall, clear any large amounts of snow from your roof to avoid damage to shingles and the roof structure and help prevent ice dams from forming.

Preventative Actions: In the fall, you should trim branches that could break under the weight of snow and ice and damage your property. Clean your gutters from debris to avoid ice dams forming on your roof in the winter. Cover outdoor faucets or shut off the water to outdoor faucets to protect them from freezing.