Home Decor

4 Home Disasters to Avoid This Winter

Christmas is over, everyone’s penniless and the spring seems like a long way off. January is definitely not the nicest of months! And to top it off, the cold weather can cause a whole host of problems inside and outside the home. If you are not prepared, here are just a few of the disasters that can strike. So be sure to take action!

capture

Leaks

Over the fall season when the leaves are falling from the trees, gutters can fill with the dead leaves and other debris can accumulate throughout the year. This can lead to blockages, which will not only make your gutters overflow but can cause leaks inside the home too. Leaks can then lead to the formation of black mold with can be a health hazard, so it’s important to prevent this from happening. Before the rainiest months hit, be sure to get up a ladder and scrape anything blocking the gutters. If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, there are lots of companies out there as well as general handymen you could employ to take care of it.

Burst Pipes

Colder weather with temperatures dipping above and below freezing isn’t good for pipes. Constantly contracting and expanding can lead to areas weakening and eventually bursting. This then leads to water damage and a whole host of other issues. Getting your pipes insulated or using a heated pipe wrap can help to control the temperature and prevent this from happening. It’s something you could do yourself or call out a plumber.

Burglary

While December is a popular month for burglaries, January and February are also high. Thieves know that houses are likely to be full of post-Christmas valuables such as technology and jewelry. Home security is something you should take seriously, upgrade your locks on the front and back door if your house needs it. Have a burglar alarm professionally fitted, and install a high quality CCTV unit. This is useful for both deterring thieves and also providing evidence if your house does get broken into.

Boiler Issues

Winter is a time when your central heating is put to the test, and boiler issues can be a huge problem. If your boiler breaks down during the year it’s an annoyance, but if it breaks down in the winter it can be a disaster! Particularly if you have vulnerable adults or children in the house. Sign up to a boiler care plan, so you know you’re always protected if anything goes wrong, and won’t end up footing a huge repair bill. You should have your boiler serviced once a year too, that way any issues can be taken care of early rather than them being a potentially bigger and more expensive problem to fix later down the line.

Winter is a difficult season and taking the necessary precautions will help to prevent things from going wrong. It’s better to spend the money on this than pay for tons of repairs and damage if something were to happen!

7 thoughts on “4 Home Disasters to Avoid This Winter

  1. Thanks for pointing out that extreme weather temperatures between hot and cold can eventually weaken the integrity of plumbing pipes. My brother-in-law is hoping to buy a used home in a few months. He mentioned that he really loves an older home that was built in the late 1950s. After reading this, I’ll recommend that he research and have the contact information of a reputable restoration contractor to come out and possibly replace the pipes.

  2. Hey, I see that you mention insulation – you’re totally right! Insulation on exposed parts of your plumbing system can help protect them and allow them to work more efficiently. Insulating your exposed pipes, especially those in cold areas or near exterior walls, can prevent the water from freezing. Insulation on your hot water pipes helps keep the water heated by preventing heat loss, which can lower your utility bills.

Leave a Reply to Sam Gibson Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.