We might not have the toughest, most destructive winters here in South Carolina, but that doesn’t mean your homes aren’t still at risk from the harshest weather that we do receive. Your homes are likely your most valuable physical assets, and winter is certainly when they’re at the most risk of damage. But don’t worry! Curb Appeal Solutions are here to give you some top tips on protecting your home from freezing damage this winter.
Why should you listen to us? We’re a family-owned and run business, operating out of Greenville, with over 3,000 customers served. That includes commercial and residential clients across Greer, Simpsonville, Maudville, and beyond!
By this stage, it’s fair to say that we’ve seen our fair share of South Carolina winters, and that we know our way around the homes of this area. So, without further ado, here are a few top tips on keeping your home safe from the elements!
Your number one concern should be frozen pipes. It only takes a little neglect for your pipes to become frozen, and bursting soon becomes a serious issue. Replacing burst pipes is obviously an expensive venture.
The good news is that, with a little care, you can easily prevent burst pipes! Ahead of time, before the freezing conditions descend, ensure your pipes are well insulated with high quality lagging.
Pipes are most often frozen when the house is left empty. If you’re going away, make sure you leave the heating on at least 50˚. You’ll have to swallow the cost of a little extra on your heating bills, but it’ll still be significantly less costly than new pipes and repairing flood damage!
If you’re in the house, a great step you can take is to open up the doors to cabinets in your bathrooms and kitchen (where your piping likely leads). This allows warm hair to get in and circulate, and keep those pipes nice and unfrozen.
Finally, if you do notice that your pipes have frozen, don’t panic! Simply switch your water off, drain the system, and open up your taps. Alternatively, you can take your hairdryer and give any pipes you can find a quick blast with that!
Another primary risk of freezing weather is the buildup of ice dams. Ice dams are formed when frozen ice on your roof melts during the day, only to subsequently re-freeze on its way to your gutters. Over time this ice (along with some snow, when it’s present), can build up under the eaves of your guttering and roof. This newly-formed ‘dam’ then prevents water from flowing down to your gutters. With nowhere else to go, water can leak inside your home, into the interior walls, which is bad news for a variety of reasons.
But, again, there’s no need to panic! With a little preparation, you can put a stop to this before it becomes an issue. One option is to have a water repellant membrane installed in your roof. This can certainly be effective, but it’s also costly. It’s far cheaper, simpler and quicker to make sure your gutters are clean. Technically you can get up there and do this yourself. For safety reasons, however, and to ensure the best possible job is done, we’d recommend calling in the experts… a company like Curb Appeal Solutions, for example!
Burst pipes and ice dams are the two biggest things to watch out for in freezing conditions, but there are a number of other sensible precautions you can take:
- Beware of slippery paths. Spread salt and sand on the ground to combat the ice, but never water (which may simply re-freeze).
- If there’s snow on the ground, it’s easiest to shift it early in the day. When you do move the snow, make sure it’s not blocking any drains.
- If you have a lovely fountain or birdbath in your garden, try to drain it before freezing becomes a factor: frozen water can cause the stone to crack, or could ruin the water pump of your fountain.
In many ways, with the holiday festivities and with some occasional picturesque snowfall, winter can be one of the most enjoyable times of the year here in South Carolina. It also happens to be the riskiest, when it comes to the safety of your property, but if you follow our tips and prepare well for the winter, you shouldn’t have a problem!
For any home cleaning services, including gutter cleaning to prevent ice dams, get in touch with Curb Appeal Solutions now. You can even get an instant online quote for our services by heading over here. To get in touch, call us on 864 214 4959 now, or message us online.
We hope you have a great winter in beautiful South Carolina, and we hope to see you soon!
