Common Winter Weather Damage to Homes (and What to Look Out For)

The winter months in the UK used to bring snow with them, and on a clear, crisp day you could be treated to some stunning views, particularly out in our countryside and national parks. The caveat to that was the damage snow could bring: structural strain due to the weight of snow on roofs, pulling gutters from their brackets and so on.

Nowadays our winters are mostly wet, cold, wet, grey, bleak and wet again. Nonetheless, the freeze-thaw cycle, consistent heavy rain and even keeping your house warm can cause damage to your property.

Here are some of the most common things to look out for, what you can do to prevent them and what you can do to repair them.

Frozen and Burst Pipes

When water freezes it expands slightly. So if water freezes in a pipe it will hopefully expand along the pipe and not against it, but once enough water in a pipe freezes it may have nowhere to expand to but against the pipe, which can cause cracks or force open seals in joints.

When frozen water thaws you could find yourself left with leaking or burst pipes, resulting in water damage, and in the most severe cases, flooding. If it comes to that, the only viable lasting repair is to have the damaged pipes replaced. 

This would also be the ideal point at which to protect those pipes in the long-term by cladding them with insulation that will greatly reduce the risk of them freezing in future.

Roof and Gutter Damage

We may be less susceptible to snow these days, but roofs and gutters can still be damaged by our modern winter weather. Ice build-up on the roof and in the gutter can still damage tiles and the gutter itself, and if the gutter is blocked with autumn leaves and ice that prevents the thawing ice from draining properly, which can lead to dampness in the roof lining.

Having your gutters cleaned in advance of the winter weather can prevent much of this damage. Once the winter weather has finally given way to Spring, it’s worth inspecting your roof and gutters to have any necessary repairs made, including replacing damaged or missing roof tiles to protect your roof lining.

Having your gutters cleaned in advance of the winter weather can prevent much of this damage.

Damp and Mould

This is a bit of a Catch-22: you’ve got to keep your home warm so it’s livable through the cold winter but you also need to keep it ventilated so damp doesn’t turn to mould …

Consistent rain and cold weather, coupled with windows being kept shut, leads to trapped moisture in your home. Having your heating on increases the humidity in your home, creating condensation and a good environment for mould growth.

As well as having mould cleaned from walls, the most effective solution is to address the underlying issue that is creating the excess moisture in the first place, which could be leaking roof lining or damaged pipes, for example. It would also be helpful to increase ventilation during winter months where possible. If you leave some windows open a crack just while you’re not at home, you will allow some of the moisture to escape your home and prevent it from building up.

Consistent rain and cold weather, coupled with windows being kept shut, leads to trapped moisture in your home.

Structural Damage

As has been touched on already, ice build-up can add strain to your roof and damage the structure beneath it, but there are some other considerations to be made, too.

Consistent rain can lead to water seeping into cracks in mortar and brickwork. When it freezes it expands, and that can damage the mortar holding the bricks together as well as the bricks themselves.

A big issue that can be caused by winter weather - and one that can severely impact the value of a property is subsidence. Subsidence is an effect where the ground beneath a building’s foundation shifts or sinks that can be caused by the freeze-thaw cycle, leading to the structure above becoming unstable. Cracks in external walls and uneven flooring are giveaway signs of potential subsistence.

Having clear and well-maintained gutters and drain pipes stops excess water from washing away the soil that helps hold your foundation in place.

Cracks in external walls and uneven flooring are giveaway signs of potential subsistence.

Call HouseFix for a Competitive Quotation

HouseFix are happy to provide a quotation for assessment and repair of damage caused by winter weather.

If you’re experiencing any of the issues listed above in your home, HouseFix can help you by replacing damaged finishing work or carrying out localised repairs where possible and effective. Head to First Fix Joinery and Second Fix Joinery for more information or Contact Us today.