We’ve made it to December, which means that in most areas of the Northern Hemisphere, winter is upon us. By now, it is too late to take most precautions to protect your yard and home from the ravages of cold — which means many of you might be wondering: What happens if you forgot to winterize in a few important ways?
If you want to know what kind of damage will be revealed come spring, you’re in the right place. This guide to winter home damage will help you identify what you’ll need to watch as the weather warms — and why you should diligently winterize next year.
Crushed Roof
If you only have time for one winterizing step, it should be to prepare your yard for the cold season. Because your plants are less protected from the biting cold, freezing precipitation and vicious winds of winter, they are more likely to suffer all season long and die before spring hits. Worse, if you don’t prune your trees before winter, you could end up with a heavy tree limb crashing through your roof and leaving a gaping hole in your ceiling.
You should prune all your shrubs and trees in the late fall, ideally before they lose all their leaves and enter hibernation. Try to identify dead and diseased branches, which are more likely to drop during winter, and lop those off first. If you don’t feel comfortable pruning your tree — or if the branches are too large or too close to your home — you shouldn’t hesitate to call a professional tree service to do this winterizing job. If you’re in the Arlington area, there is a great tree pruning and maintenance expert.
Burst Pipes
When water freezes, it expands — this is elementary-level science. However, this happens to water regardless of where it is, which means ice that forms inside your plumbing will likely burst your pipes. As long as the water remains frozen, this won’t be a problem, but as soon as temperatures warm even slightly, you could have water flooding into areas you least expect or desire.
Water damage is no joke. Regardless of the time of year, you need professionals to help you dry out and repair water damaged spaces. If your home has suffered water damage from frozen pipes (or something else) you should log onto ServiceMasterRestore.com to connect with professionals in your area who can help.
Cracked Masonry
This is another issue related to water’s tendency to expand when frozen. During the late fall and early winter, wet precipitation like rain and sleet can coat the exterior of your home. Then, when temperatures drop — due to the sun setting or a cold front moving in — the moisture that has seeped into the tiny cracks and crevices of your masonry will freeze, expanding those cracks and crevices immensely.
Over time, masonry cracks will lead to structural instability. If you have cracks in the exterior of your home, cracks also reduce insulation and drive up energy bills year-round while permitting moisture, which can lead to mildew and mold growth. As soon as a dry day hits, you should seal up your masonry cracks with an epoxy or polyurethane product, found at your local hardware store.
Rusted Gutters
Not all homes have gutters, but if yours does, you need to take special care of them. When gutters fill up with gunk, they don’t channel water away from your home efficiently. Then, when winter hits, water stuck in your gutters will freeze, doing damage to them and your roof. This damage can result in rust, which is a nail in the coffin of good gutters.
Keeping your gutters clear of debris is relatively easy — even your kids or neighborhood youths can do it in an afternoon. Then, you should install gutter guards, which are mesh covers that keep out larger junk like leaves and sticks.
High Bills
When your home isn’t properly winterized, winter tends to sneak into your home. Through cracks in the masonry, poorly insulated windows and doors and other small, hidden spots, the cold air from outside seeps inside, and your heater must work extra hard to keep you warm. This results in unnecessarily high energy bills — and risks cold fingers and toes even indoors.
Plus, you shouldn’t ignore the bills for repairs that will come after winter. Your roof, your plumbing, your masonry and your gutters will need to be fixed if they weren’t properly winterized before the big freeze, and this could cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
If you forgot to winterize this year, all the problems you’ll face this season and the next should keep winterizing at the top of your mind for next year.