Winter is right around the corner, and chances are you’ve already started budgeting for the holiday season. But the holidays aren’t the only thing you need to be financially worried about.
With the temperatures dropping, there are common household disasters that can hurt your finances if you’re not careful. Fortunately, you can prepare and prevent these issues from happening.
Here are three winter household disasters you want to be financially prepared for and what you can do to avoid them.
Malfunctioning heat pumps
The last thing you want to deal with in the winter is a problem with your HVAC system. Dirty heat filters or a malfunctioning heat pump could be the cause.
If you have an exterior heat pump, icy winds and snowfalls can cause your heat pump to perform poorly because it could fail to defrost. Be sure to have your HVAC system serviced twice a year to avoid problems like these. Seasonal maintenance is cheaper than paying for a brand new heat pump.
Frozen water and toilet pipes
It’s crucial to insulate your pipes before the winter season to keep them from freezing. Any unprotected area can freeze if the weather is cold enough.
Along with insulation, you can keep your pipes from freezing by keeping your lower cabinets open and running a thin stream of water from your sink.
If you’re not sure if your pipes are frozen, consider these signs:
- There’s frost on the pipe. Frost is a warning sign that the pipe you’re looking at might be frozen. This is especially true if you can actively see frost on the pipes under your sink.
- There’s no water coming out of the faucet. Low flush toilets use approximately 1.3 gallons per flush. If you can’t flush your toilet or if there isn’t any running water coming from your sink, chances are your pipes are frozen.
- There’s a strange smell. About 3% of the Earth’s water is fresh water, and wastewater treatment plants help to make sure it stays that way. If you notice an odd smell coming from your faucet or drain this winter, chances are it’s not your water. The pipe might be partially or completely blocked, which can cause a bad smell.
By insulating your pipes and taking other preventative measures to keep your pipes from freezing, you can reduce your risk of a burst water pipe this winter. Burst pipes can cost thousands of dollars in both property damage and plumbing repairs.
Pests coming in from the cold
Once winter rolls around, some pests will go into hibernation while others will invade your home to seek food and warmth. Common winter pests include rats, squirrels, and raccoons.
The amount of food destroyed by rodents every year in total is enough to feed more than 200 million people. Consider keeping your food in air-tight, glass containers to keep pests from getting into them.
Contact a pest control service the moment you notice a pest, droppings, or find other signs of a pest in or on your property. The damage these critters can cause to your home can be major even if they’re just making a den for the season.
With winter on the way, it’s important to get your home prepared for the cold. Problems like frozen pipes can come back to bite you if you’re not careful. Fortunately, by following the tips above, you can reduce your risk of needing major repairs around your home this season so you can focus on budgeting for the holidays instead of home improvements.
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