During the winter months, your home’s foundation is at risk of damage due to shifting soil and freezing temperatures. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your home from this kind of winter damage. In this blog post, we’ll discuss a few of the best ways to keep your home’s foundation safe and secure during the coldest months of the year.
Gutter Maintenance
One of the most important things you can do to prevent winter foundational damage is keep up with gutter maintenance. Gutters that aren’t properly maintained or clogged with debris can cause melting snow and ice to accumulate on your roof, which can eventually make its way into the foundation walls. To avoid this problem, ensure that gutters are cleaned out regularly and that downspouts are draining water away from your home’s foundation. It could also be beneficial to invest in gutter guards, which can help reduce clogs caused by leaves and other debris.
Heating Solutions
Another way to prevent foundational damage is by investing in heating solutions for areas around your home that may be prone to freezing temperatures during winter months. This includes outdoor pipes, outdoor faucets, and any exposed portions of your basement or crawlspace. Heating cables wrapped around these areas will help keep them warm enough so they don’t freeze over—a frozen pipe or faucet could create pressure in your walls and eventually lead to cracks or leaks in your foundation walls.
Ground Preparation & Slope Maintenance
It’s also important to make sure that the ground around your foundation is properly prepared for snowfall, rain, and ice. If you have recently experienced soil erosion or a change in slope due to heavy rainfall or flooding in the summer months, it’s important to fill any areas with dirt or gravel before winter arrives. This will help ensure that water drains away from your home instead of towards it, which could cause costly foundational damage later. Taking steps now to prevent common winter foundational damage will save you money down the line when it comes time for repairs or maintenance work on your home's foundation. Gutter maintenance, heating solutions, and insulation all play an important role in protecting against potential damages caused by extreme weather conditions during colder months—so if you haven't already taken precautions for winter seasonal care around your house's foundation, now is a great time to do so!