Protect Your Home When Temperatures Freeze Prepare for Freezing Temperatures Love it or hate it, winter weather is on its way. While you pull your coat and gloves out of storage, make sure that you keep your home protected, too. When it comes to winter weather, a little bit of protection goes a long way to prevent damage. Here are some steps that you can take for winter home protection. Add Insulation Insulation is one of the most important parts of winter home protection. It will protect your home from the worst of the freezing temperatures. It can also help you save money on your heating bills. Take a look at your attic, basement, and crawlspaces. Do they have adequate insulation? If not, add some. You may even add insulation to your exposed pipes to prevent them from freezing. Now would also be a great time to look around the outside of your house for cracks and holes. When you seal these cracks, you can keep the freezing air outside where it belongs. Take Care of the Water Next, take care of your home’s water. Freezing water is one of the biggest sources of damage when winter arrives; so when it comes to winter home protection, a little prevention goes a long way. Start with the water outside by draining the line and cutting off the water to your outdoor faucets. Next, move on to the water inside. Prevent your pipes from freezing by letting your faucets drip. This action keeps the water moving so that it doesn’t freeze in place. Open the cabinet doors under your sinks to make sure that your pipes get enough heat exposure. Prevent Icicles and Ice Dams Icicles and ice dams can damage your house, but you can prevent them. To prevent icicles, clean out your gutters. When leaves obstruct your gutters, they prevent water from flowing the way that it should. As a result, that water can form icicles. Cleaning out your gutters is a simple way to avoid this problem. Next, make sure that your attic has adequate ventilation. Proper ventilation is essential for preventing ice dams on the roof. Take Care of the Little Things Next, keep in mind that the little things can make the biggest difference in winter home protection. Look around your house for little improvements that you can make for the winter. For example, do you have a clear pathway to your water shutoff valve? Do you have extra batteries for your thermostat? Winter Home Protection Finally, just in case your home does experience winter damage, keep our number nearby. DC Water Restoration is the best in winter home protection. When you have water damage, storm damage, or fire damage, we’re here to help. Contact DC Water Restoration today to learn more.