When the weather is dropping down to freezing temperatures, there are things you can do to prepare your home beforehand. Freezing can cause damage to your home. Frozen pipes and dying shrubs are no fun to deal with in the winter.
Here are a few ways to get your home ready for colder weather approaches:
1. Avoid frozen pipes
Especially if you’ve ever rented an apartment, management will usually put signs up everywhere telling you to leave the faucet dripping during a freeze warning. It’s essential to do that to avoid the pipes freezing and bursting. Here’s the science behind it: When water freezes, it will expand. Same concept as a can of soda in the freezer. It can lead to serious damages to your pipes which results in money coming out of your pocket. The “temperature alert threshold” is about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave the faucet dripping or at a small trickle.
2. Keep cabinets open
Keep the cabinets under the sink open so the heating can circulate under there and aid in preventing the pipes from freezing. Frozen pipes can lead to water damage as well. They are one of the biggest risks of property damage when the weather is freezing outside.
3. Spray an ice repellant
This can help you save energy and money as well. This is also a zero energy consumption method in comparison to using some sort of heat method to keep things from freezing. These sprays will help the ice simply slide off. This spray has many benefits for many different industries. So, you can trust that it will help your home. Science Alert talks all about it and has a picture of a frozen license plate to demonstrate.
4. Protect your plants
One big tip to protect your plants and keep them from dying is to wet the soil when you are aware of a freeze warning. Why and how? Well, wet soil helps prevent freeze injury to the roots of the plants. Moist soil holds more heat than dry soil does. Also, consider having some sort of material barrier to put up. Any frost barrier fabric would be perfect.
Save money and prevent problems from occurring by knowing what to do during a freeze warning. Remember to keep yourselves and your pets warm during the freezing temperatures!
Resources: Gardening Know How, My AJC