But this makes them vulnerable to damage during rare cold events. In warm-weather regions, pipes are weatherized to handle summer heat and are placed in exterior walls and attics. In different parts of the country, pipes are installed in different areas of a home. What makes a home vulnerable to frozen pipes?įirst, it’s important to understand where the majority of your pipes are located. Look for a company that customizes repair options to your home, offers long-term warranties and has a history of working with the specific soil and climate in your area. Choosing a company with the knowledge and tools to best solve your specific foundation problem is the best choice. So, it’s best to act fast.įoundation work isn’t a DIY project. If it’s damaged, you’ll discover costly secondary problems very quickly. Your home’s foundation supports everything in your house. It’s best to have a foundation specialist inspect any cracks as soon as possible. What should homeowners do if they suspect any damage to their foundation? Inward wall failure will show as horizontal and vertical cracks on the basement wall or even drywall. That can help tell professionals why the problem is occurring. Homeowners with basements and slab foundations should look for cracks both inside and outside their home. If none of the faucets are running, the frozen pipe is probably near the main water line. As the issue progresses, homeowners will notice a problem when a faucet is no longer working. What are the signs to look for?įor homes with a crawl space, the first sign of a problem is cold floors. When these three contributors combine, it pushes basement walls inward. The other two are the weight of the soil and the weight of water in the soil. When the spring thaw eventually arrives, water can easily find its way into your home through these cracks.įurthermore, frozen ground is one of the three causes of inward basement wall movement. Water expands when it freezes, causing concrete to break and crack. Concrete is porous, meaning it absorbs water. If you have a basement or slab foundation, it’s the concrete you need to worry about. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a one-inch flood caused by a broken pipe can result in about $25,000 in damage. Frozen pipes are more than just frustrating. Freezing temperatures can cause pipes to burst, resulting in extensive damage. If you live above a crawl space, your home’s pipes are typically located beneath the floors. Q: How can cold, wintry weather damage a home?Ī: Brutal cold is damaging in several ways, depending on your home’s foundation type. REALTOR® Magazine caught up with Brian Black, Groundworks’ director of sales training and business development, to learn more about how a harsh winter could be affecting a home’s foundation and the signs of potential damage. The price tag to fix a damaged foundation could easily stretch even higher. That accounted for nearly 20% of all insurance claims in 2020-at an average cost of more than $10,000 per claim. Rapid temperature swings could cause substantial issues to a home’s foundation, warns Groundworks, a nationwide foundation services company.Įvery year, one in 60 homeowners file claims related to water damage or freezing, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Many areas of the country are experiencing blistering cold weather, even those that aren’t used to freezing temperatures.
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