The dead of winter is the time for the greatest vigilance in your home-maintenance routine. The most important job this month is to head off damage to your home from water and dampness from a number of sources:
• Groundwater and rain seeping into your home.
• Leaky pipes inside the walls.
• Pipes bursting from freezing and thawing.
Take a tour
After a winter storm, get outside as soon as you can. Walk around the house, checking for damage from wind and broken tree limbs. User binoculars if you can't see your entire roof. Scan for loose or missing shingles.
Give special attention to vulnerable pipes — indoors and out — that are exposed to the cold, including hose bibs, pipes in outside walls, garden sprinkler lines, swimming pool pipes and pipes in unheated attics, basements and garages.
Take these steps to safeguard against damage from frozen and bursting pipes:
If practical, insulate any pipes exposed to the cold. Ask hardware-store personnel for the best materials for the job.
Seal any leaks that are letting cold air in, especially around dryer vents and pipes and where electrical wiring enters the house.
Search for uninsulated water supply lines in the attic, garage, basement and crawl spaces and in bathroom and kitchen cabinets adjacent to outside walls. During a cold spell, open cupboard doors in the kitchen and bathroom so the home's heat can reach them. (Reminder: Put harmful household cleaners out of the reach of children.) Keep doors shut tight in the garage and outside closets and cupboards during freezing weather.
When temperatures drop below zero, open both hot and cold faucets a trickle to relieve pressure in the pipes. Locate your home's water shut-off valve; learn how to turn off the water quickly in case a pipe bursts.
If you'll be gone in freezing weather, even overnight, ask a friend or neighbor to check on your house for broken or leaking pipes. Show him or her how to shut off the water. Keep temperatures inside the house at 55 degrees Fahrenheit or above, night and day, even when you're gone. Promise yourself that when the weather improves you will add to the installation in the basement or crawl space and attic.
Leak prevention
Install small, battery-powered individual leak alarms, also called flood alarms, under the refrigerator, kitchen and bathroom drain pipes, dishwasher and laundry appliances and behind toilets. Cost: around $10-$15 each. Check to make sure your sump pump is operating properly. If it has a battery backup, unplug the pump from the wall and test it. Look for pests seeking shelter cold weather drives mice and insects into the walls of your home. Even unheated parts of the house invite these pests. Insects need only a crack to enter, and mice can get in through a dime-sized hole. Houseflies, particularly, pose a health risk because they can transmit disease.
Seal any cracks where pests enter. Empty compost and garbage frequently. Keep food covered and put away; keep counters clean. Fix leaky pipes quickly. Pour boiling water down bathroom and kitchen drains monthly, preventing the buildup of bacteria-laden sludge; scrub removable drain covers weekly.
Check basement, attic, crawl spaces and the back of cupboards and cabinets for mice droppings or holes. If you find evidence, install traps immediately or call a pest-control service.
Pick up and dispose of outdoor pet waste promptly; turn compost piles frequently.
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