Anyone that has lived in western Michigan knows that it gets pretty cold in the winter. Subzero temperatures can make life pretty miserable as one trudges through it on the way to work or school. Knowing winter is on the way sends many to the stores in search of a good heavy winter coat, scarf, boots and gloves or mittens to safeguard against frost bite. What sometimes goes unnoticed is how important home winterization is as well. Winterizing Holland homes should be done each year.
Temperatures below freezing can actually do damage to your home’s plumbing . When water freezes it expands, and when that happens to the point that the pipes can no longer contain the ice they can burst. Not only does this result in a damaged pipe, it also can create a lot of water damage depending on where the pipe was located. Repairing all this damage can be very costly as well as inconvenient for the homeowner. Sometimes the damage can be such that no money can replace what is lost, such as precious photos or electronic data.
Therefore, just as you plan ahead to keep your family protected from winter’s fury, winterizing Holland homes should also be done before the first flakes of snow arrive. There are a number of ways in which a company that specializes in winterizing can prevent winter headaches. Pipes that are in areas susceptible to cold temperatures can be insulated. Heated floors can also help with this situation, and provide comfort to the homeowner during the winter as well. Furthermore, systems can be designed to keep snow melted away from key outdoor areas.
A thorough inspection of the plumbing in the home can determine if there are areas already weakened or leaking that could fail with additional pressure on them. Drains are also potential problems in the winter because if they get plugged they could also freeze, so having all drains inspected is a good idea as well.
We’ve all heard the cliche that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and this is quite true when it comes to home winterization. It is far cheaper to have the home checked out thoroughly in the autumn than to face expensive repair bills in the middle of the winter.
