Properties always suffer more when it’s cold outside. Have you ever wondered why that is? Seeing as most homes are built to withstand extreme temperatures no matter where they are in the world, how come cold weather always leaves its mark?
Because cold weather is the hardest to protect against. Even hot and humid temperatures can be repelled to a better degree! But once the thermometer tells you it’s near or below freezing, you’ll need to perform some TLC jobs around the house to keep the worst of it out.
Cold weather can be very pervasive, and even when you’ve shut and locked the doors and windows behind you, the chill can creep in. Get ready for this ahead of time. And if you want a few more details on the cold weather phenomenon and its unique effect on your home, feel free to check out the reasons behind it below.
When Things Freeze, They Expand
Cold weather is usually rather wet weather too. Even if the ground is dry and snow can lay thick, once it melts there’s going to be a lot more water there than there was before. Combine this level of moisture with freezing temperatures and it’s a recipe for disaster.
Anything in your home that’s susceptible to water damage will be affected. A wooden door, for example, will soak up any excess water that’s either landed on it or splashed near it.
Once it does, and the cold temps get to work, the extra water in the wood is going to expand as it solidifies. This can make the door stick and may even cause it to bust out of its frame.
Gaps in Your Insulation Become Much More Noticeable
If there are any gaps in your home – even tiny ones no bigger than a pin – you’ll notice them a lot more when the weather starts to take a chill. Cold air usually provides more of a shock to the body than warm air, so if it’s freezing outside and there’s a hole in the wall, you’re going to feel it on your skin.
That’s bad for multiple reasons, but above all else, it makes your heating far less efficient. You’ll be throwing money away through these leaks, and when a room fails to heat up, you’re going to whack the thermostat up even higher.
It’s time to plug these gaps. Entryways are the worst offenders, and that includes windows, so invest in saving energy this winter with new windows and doors. Better insulated, better sealed, with water-resistant material, new external features will make it much easier and cheaper to keep your house warm.
Poor Quality Roofing Materials Can’t Hold Up
If your roof is made of poor-quality material, and was a cheap job back when your home was first constructed, cold weather won’t have any trouble worming its way into your structure.
Proper roofing is the best kind of insulation on the market, and the better the longevity of the material you’re using, the better your home will be protected all year round.
Indoor Air is Usually Drier
Cold weather can make the indoor atmosphere quite dry. It’s why lips are more likely to get chapped when it’s wintertime; cold air can be quite dehydrating. Because of that, you’re naturally going to feel colder when inside anyway.
When there’s no moisture in the air, any moisture on your skin is going to be sucked away much faster. That’ll leave you feeling a lot cooler than usual, no matter what your thermostat is telling you.
So, when you go to turn it up and start spending hundreds on the winter heating bill, your home is going to feel inefficient. Not only does this leave you out of pocket, but it also means the level of satisfaction in your home will be much lower.
Is Your Home Ready for the Cold?
Cold weather affects the average home in a variety of ways, but most of all, it makes it harder to keep a property in good condition. Cold weather usually brings wind and rain with it, as well as snow and ice, and the more we get of these elements, the harder it is to stay warm and dry inside.
Make sure you’re ready for freezing temps to make things expand and burst, for roofing to rip open and fall apart, and for those gaps between your windows and their panes to let the icicles come right on in.
