Winter damage costs U.S. homeowners an estimated $2.5 billion annually. Frozen pipes alone cause an average of $18,000 in damage per incident. Most of this is preventable with a few hours of preparation.
Exterior Protection
- Clean gutters and downspouts — Clogged gutters cause ice dams, which cause water to back up under shingles and into your home. Cost to clean: $100-200 (or $60-120 with NeighborPool).
- Inspect the roof — Look for missing or damaged shingles, cracked flashing, and sagging areas. Fix issues now — roofing in January is expensive and dangerous.
- Seal exterior cracks — Caulk gaps around windows, doors, and where utilities enter the house. A $10 tube of caulk can save hundreds in heating costs.
- Disconnect outdoor hoses — Water left in hoses freezes, backs up into the spigot, and can burst indoor pipes. Disconnect, drain, and store all hoses.
- Cover the A/C unit — A fitted cover prevents ice and debris damage during the off-season. Cost: $25-50.
Plumbing
- Insulate exposed pipes — Any pipe in an unheated area (garage, crawl space, exterior wall) needs foam insulation sleeves. Cost: $1-3 per linear foot.
- Know your shutoff valve location — If a pipe bursts, you need to cut the water in seconds, not minutes. Find it now and make sure it works.
- Set thermostat no lower than 55°F — Even when traveling. Pipes freeze when interior temperatures drop too low.
Heating System
- Service your furnace — Annual maintenance ($80-150) catches problems before they become mid-winter emergencies ($500-2,000+).
- Replace HVAC filters — Dirty filters reduce efficiency by 5-15%. At today's energy prices, that's $20-40/month wasted.
- Check carbon monoxide detectors — Winter is peak CO poisoning season due to heating system use. Test every detector and replace batteries.
Snow and Ice Prep
- Line up snow removal — Don't wait for the first storm. The best providers book up by October. Group contracts through NeighborPool are 30-40% cheaper than individual service and guarantee priority plowing.
The Cost of Skipping Prep
Spending $500-800 on winter prep protects against thousands in potential damage. And when your neighborhood coordinates through NeighborPool — gutter cleaning, furnace service, and snow removal as a package — you can get that prep cost down to $300-500 per home.
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