Winter in Georgia may not bring heavy snowfalls like up North, but cold snaps and freezing temperatures can still cause problems for your home. Taking a few simple steps now can save you from costly repairs later and keep your family warm and safe.
Here’s how to get your home winter-ready by being proactive and preparing for the worst:
1. Protect Your Pipes
When temperatures drop, exposed pipes can freeze and burst, causing water damage. Follow these steps:
Locate exposed pipes: Check for outside faucets (AKA hose bibs or spigots) and plumbing pipes in unheated areas like garages, crawl spaces, and unconditioned attics. I would highly recommend conditioning these spaces sooner rather than later, not just to prevent frozen pipes.
Insulate pipes: Use foam pipe insulation to protect exposed pipes and cover your hose bibs with insulated covers like these or these. Also consider upgrading to a frost proof hose bib like these really cool ones from Aquor. The water gets shut off inside the wall instead of outside the house, so it isn't exposed to the freezing temperatures.
Disconnect hoses: Remove garden hoses from outdoor faucets and drain them.
Drip faucets: On especially cold nights, leave a small trickle of water running from indoor faucets to keep water moving. Even if you have insulated covers, prolonged freezing temperatures can still burst a pipe.
BONUS: A smart water shutoff is a great investment to ensure pipe leaks or breaks are small problems instead of big ones.
2. Inspect Your Heating System
Don't wait for your system to fail to maintain your HVAC equipment. Here's what you can do to be proactive:
Change air filters: Replace the filters in your furnace or HVAC system every 6 months.
Schedule a tune-up: Hire a professional to inspect and service your HVAC equipment twice a year: before Summer and before Winter.
Check vents: Make sure all air vents are clean and unblocked by furniture or curtains.
3. Prepare Your Fireplace
If you have a fireplace that could be used for emergency heat, make sure it’s ready:
Clean the chimney: Hire a professional chimney sweep to remove soot and debris.
Check the damper: Ensure the damper opens and closes properly.
Stock up on firewood: Store dry, seasoned wood in a covered area away from your home.
4. Prepare Your Yard
Don’t forget the outside of your home:
Protect outdoor plants: Cover delicate plants with frost blankets or bring potted plants indoors.
Winterize outdoor equipment: Drain and properly dispose of gas from lawnmowers and other tools. Store them in a dry place.
Trim branches: Cut back any tree branches hanging over your roof to prevent damage from falling limbs.
Spread mulch: Add mulch to flower beds to insulate roots from freezing temperatures.
5. Prepare for Power Outages
Even if we prepare, Winter storms can sometimes knock out power. Be ready with these tips:
Gather supplies: Have flashlights, extra batteries, and warm blankets on hand.
Stock up on food and water: Keep a few non-perishable foods and bottled water in case you can’t cook or access tap water.
Invest in Solar and Power Storage: If possible, consider adding solar power and battery storage to your home. Costs of solar with storage have come down so much recently, that it's not that different than a whole home backup generator.
Make your home High Performance: One of the biggest sources of heat loss in a home is through air leakage. If your power does go out, a high performance home can retain its heat for days longer than standard construction. Reach out to us if you'd like to learn more.
By following these simple steps, you can keep your home comfortable and safe all winter long. A little preparation now goes a long way toward a worry-free winter season.
Prepare your home for freezing temperatures
Comments