We know it feels like winter, but according to the calendar, the season doesn’t technically start until December 21st. However, our homes don’t go by the calendar. As soon as the overnight temperatures drop and there’s the potential for water to freeze, it’s time for homeowners to make sure their homes are ready for winter, especially if you plan on battening up the hatches and moving south to enjoy some warmer weather. So what exactly does winterizing your Long Beach Island home mean? Our team is breaking down the best practices homeowners should do to help keep their LBI custom homes safe through the cold weather.
First and foremost, homes aren’t meant to be cold. While it may seem economical to turn off your heat, doing so may cost you more in repairs than leaving it at a low temperature. We recommend setting your heat no lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit if unoccupied for the season so as to keep your LBI custom home warm enough to avoid freezing. When a home freezes, it isn’t just cold. Pipes can freeze and burst, causing water damage to your home and furnishings.
Draining waterlines in your Long Beach Island home is another maintenance essential to help your custom home avoid water damage. As mentioned before, standing water can freeze and cause pipes to burst. Should the temperature rise and the water melt, it can cause hardwood floors to buckle, walls to warp, and wreak general havoc on your home. Remember to drain all your hoses, air conditioner waterlines, and any other sources where water might freeze and cause damage.
Keeping with the temperature theme, your home isn’t the only thing that doesn’t like the cold. Sheetrock also doesn’t respond well to extreme cold and neither do finishes like paint and hardwood floor. Your house has moisture in it naturally from the day-to-day things you do, like taking showers or washing dishes. The last thing you want to do is let this freeze during the winter, causing damage to your floors and walls. By keeping your heat set to at least 50 degrees, you decrease the chance that your LBI custom home will sustain damage during the winter months.
As a part of winterizing your Long Beach Island home, we also recommend homeowners cover any outdoor furniture and firepits for the winter. They could also be stored safely inside a garage or shed so you can enjoy them during the warm months spent in your LBI custom home.
Whether you choose to weather out the winter in your LBI custom home or head south for the season, winterizing your Long Beach Island home is an essential task so you can continue to enjoy it for years to come. If you have questions about how to winterize your home for the season, or you are considering building your new custom home on Long Beach Island, contact Stonehenge Building today for details on why we are the builder of choice on LBI.