Easy Winter Home Maintenance

It was bound to happen, but the cold weather has finally arrived in Louisville. It is a good time to make sure your home is prepared to handle the cold, harsh weather. The cold brings snow and ice, which can easily cause damage, leading to costly repairs.

One of the easiest fixes is to make sure your outdoor furniture and appliances. If you allow snow to sit on your metal furniture or appliances, such as a grill, the melting snow can cause the metal to rust or wood furniture to be damaged. Cold weather also causes plastic to become brittle and crack.

You will want to make sure your outdoor spigot has been drained. If the water line has its own shut-off valve, you will want to make sure you turn the water off. Then disconnect any garden hose you have attached to the spigot. Water expands as it freezes, so if you have water in the line, it can cause the water line to burst creating a flood.

It is also imperative to make sure any interior pipes, that run along an exterior wall are insulated. You can purchase pipe insulation, but it could be difficult to access some of your pipes, so you have a couple options. For example, if your kitchen sink is on an exterior wall, open the cabinet doors, under the sink. This will allow warm air to flow around the pipes, keeping the water above freezing. Also consider leaving the water running, but at a low rate; this will keep water flowing, and so it doesn't have an opportunity to freeze.

If you have a drafty door, install weather stripping. Caulk can be used to fill small gaps, but expanding foam can be used to fill larger gaps. For drafty windows, shrinkable plastic wrap is available.

When you prepare your home for winter weather properly, you should be able to avoid repairs that can be associated with winter weather.