Is Your Home Ready For Freezing Temperatures?

The first real winter cold front of 2024 is already working it’s way into Dallas / Ft. Worth. We are expected to see temperatures drop below freezing by Thursday. For many of you, this might trigger anxious memories of 2021 when the Texas power outages left millions without electricity or heat in frigid temperatures. This one certainly isn’t expected to be anywhere that extreme, but this approaching cold front is a good reminder to prepare your home in order to hopefully, prevent damage.

As a home inspection company here in Dallas / Ft. Worth, we wanted to provide some tips to homeowners on winterizing and safeguarding your home based on the lessons learned after the storm two years ago.

First, locate your water shutoff valve using last year’s home inspection report. You can find this in our report right in the plumbing section.  Is is located in the information tab and is labeled “Location of Main Water Supply Valve“.  It is important to note if the location is unknown, be sure to get to your local hardware or home improvement store and pick a water meter key.  This will allow you to shut the water at the meter in case of emergency.  

Second, Insulate exposed exterior pipes and faucets. Burst pipes were a major issue in 2021.

Check that alternate heat sources like a gas fireplace are in good working order in case you lose power.  Check to see if your automatic fireplace has a battery backup.  If so, be sure to have the right size batteries on hand in the event of a power failure so you can light the fireplace.  

Dust off your cold weather gear like heavy coats, gloves, hats and blankets.  Make sure you have battery-powered flashlights and radios. 

If you have or use portable generators, space heaters, cooking equipment, etc. in the event of a power loss, be sure to test them and make sure they are in good working order.

As your local home inspection company, we are always happy to answer questions about winterizing and can provide a detailed re-inspection at any time. Contact our office for advice on protecting your home this cold season. Prepare now rather than getting caught out in the cold!