7 Common Places Winter Weather Can Damage Your Home
Winter can be the most damaging season to real estate property, as demonstrated by the polar vortex in 2021. The extreme temperatures brought on by the vortex caused untold damage throughout the country, from downing power lines to collapsing roofs. According to some experts, the combined damages brought on by the winter weather ranged from anywhere between $10 and $20 billion.
Such intense weather events can wreak havoc on your own home as well. Unless you know the common areas that snow, hail and cold can affect, you may not notice your house is damaged until the spring. Below are 10 common areas on your property that can get damaged by winter weather.
Ornamental Trees
Evergreens and similar plants may survive winter conditions, but there are a dozen other ways the cold can damage or even kill your ornamental trees. Harsh cold can cause the sap to expand, making your trees explode.
Heavy snow could snap branches from their weight. Frost burn can seriously impair your plant's ability to thrive come the thaw. If you want to avoid such issues, it's best to call a service that removes snow from lawns and prepares your garden for winter.
Gutters
Snow can accumulate on your roof before sliding on down to your gutters. Unlike other parts of your roof, your gutters aren't supposed to hold such weights for long, and thaw-freeze cycles can mean the snow in your gutters turns to much heavier ice. Unless you constantly clear your gutters of snow, you may have to replace them entirely by the time spring comes around.
Building Sidings
The exterior parts of your home are supposed to weather through winters much easier than others, but harsh temperatures can destroy sidings just as easily. Temperature fluctuations are among the most destructive forces of winter, and they can cause your sidings to crack. There are few things people can do about this.
For example, your carport design may compensate for the weight of snow, but the materials used outside may not be able to handle the temperature fluctuations. Keep an eye out for any small cracks or crags on the materials and apply quick fixes when your can.
Asphalt Driveways
Potholes are among the most common damages to asphalt, which are caused by freeze-thaw cycles. Winter temperatures cause water molecules absorbed in the asphalt to freeze and expand. When the temperature dips below a certain degree, the ice melts and leaves gaps and cracks. Your asphalt driveway will be extremely prone to such damage. The best you can do is keep your asphalt clear of snow and to immediately patch up any potholes to prevent them from getting even bigger.
Water Pipes
Despite being ensconced inside the walls of your house, your water pipes are subject to winter damage just as easily as the other components of your home. Freezing temperatures can penetrate within the walls, since these spaces do not have the benefit of proper insulation. Because of the cold, the water inside the pipes can freeze, expanding and even bursting your pipes at the seams. Routinely inspect your piping or have professionals like DJ Plumbing in Coquitlam inspect it, especially sections that are exposed to colder temperatures, for signs of freezing and make repairs as necessary.
Roof
One of the most obvious places winter can really do some damage is the roof. There are many ways winter can ruin your roofs to the point where you need someone like this Roofing contractor in Rockwall, TX to come out and get things restored and back to normal. First, the combined weight of so many snowfalls can cause the structural integrity of your roof's support beams to start buckling. Even if you have heating strips under your roof to prevent such a build-up, the runoff from the meting ice and the aforementioned freeze-thaw cycle can cause shingles to leak. Pay attention to your roof, especially when there is inclement weather. If it does sustain damage, having it immediately repaired by companies like those at Denver roofers at National Home Improvement, is essential. Water can leak in and do tremendous damage behind the walls.
Window Caulking
Very low temperatures cause things to shrink. This can cause objects to crack or fracture under stress. The caulking keeping window frames sealed to their frames and preventing drafts from blowing inside can break apart. Not only will this let cold air leaking into your home, it can also let your window panes break as they fall apart. If your home has plenty of windowpanes, routinely check the caulking around them and reapply if they start to get flaky.
Your house is the only shelter you have during the harsh winter months. The weather and the temperatures will conspire to bring down your home. When the snow starts to fall heavily, you will need to stay vigilant and keep an eye on these places. Only by doing so can you ensure that the cold weather doesn't get the better of your home.