Winter brings a lot of things with it– hot chocolate by the fire, finals season, and time spent with family all leap to mind; but have you considered how you can better prepare for the possibility of water damage during the colder months? Wet storms and sub-freezing temperatures are renown for causing homeowners headaches throughout the season; whether it’s a burst pipe or a long-ignored leak, a problem can quickly become a calamity if it’s not addressed.

Below, we’ve put together a handful of helpful pointers for preventing water damage to your home over the winter. You’ll need to be proactive if you want to get ahead of Mother Nature, but taking just a few precautionary steps can make the difference between a holiday season spent safe at home and a rough several months. 

How to Prevent Water Damage in the Winter

Check up on your pipes

Burst and frozen pipes are well-known to be one of the greatest risks of property damage once winter hits. Frozen pipes that eventually burst often cause more than $5,000 in water damage, which is hardly a figure to sneeze at. These issues frequently lead to cracks, flooding, and other problems once ice melts and water can flow freely again.

There are a number of steps you can take to reduce the chances of your pipes bursting this winter:

• Properly insulate outer walls and exposed pipes
  • Pipes can be wrapped with old towels or insulating tape
• Caulk cracks and holes in exterior walls
• If temperatures are low and you’ll be away from home, leave your faucets dripping
  • Keep cabinets under sinks open, too; it allows warm air to circulate around your pipes

Keep ice dams at bay

Ice dams form when clogged gutters prevent melted snow from flowing off of your roof properly. The liquid winds up trapped in the gutters and begins to refreeze, which slowly builds a wall of icicles that transforms into an ice dam.

Ice dams can cause tremendous damage to roofs when they melt; the water can even seep into your attic and cause structural issues there. In some cases, ice dripping from gutters can pool alongside your home and begin wearing away at your foundation. You can improve your chances of avoiding ice dam formation by keeping your gutters clear and removing snow from your roof regularly.

Seal leaks as you find them

There’s no getting around it– winter is wet. While the season can bring along its own specific issues, like burst pipes or ice dams, you need to consider more general risks as well. You may have been able to avoid patching up issues with drips as summer and fall dragged on, but those same problems could become disasters if they’re left to sit over winter.

It’s good policy to seal everything up tightly as soon as you feel drafts or see water dripping. Winter brings enough worry as it is– you shouldn’t have to fret over a normal spell of rain doing actual damage to your home. Check your storm windows and doors, keep weather stripping in good shape, and practice other common-sense maintenance tasks to make sure you’re ready for the winter months.

Looking for more winterization advice? Struggling to address damage that’s already been done? Contact EC Construction today. We’ve been working across California and Nevada for the better part of two decades– and our experience shows. Whether you’re looking for advice or you need help with last-minute repairs, our team is well-equipped to tackle the problem and get you on the path towards a home that’s safe, reliable, and free of damage.