This year in North Carolina has been filled with a ton of snow compared to previous years. With every day comes more inches and layers of ice. This weather is detrimental to planning your week, work schedules and almost everything else, including selling your home. Sometimes the extensive winter weather, the only option is to maintain the health of your home. When the exterior is blanketed in snow and no cars are on the road, curb appeal and visitors are not an option. Instead, follow our tips to maintaining your home and its important selling features when winter is pummeling the selling process.
Prevention: Ice Damming and Roof Damage
One major breaking point with sellers is a roof in need of repairs. And not paying attention to snow and ice accumulation on your roof is an excellent way for devastating damage to take hold. Ice damming is the culprit in this situation and it occurs when ice forms on the edges of your roof and traps melting snow on the roof allowing it to leak into any openings in the roof and into your home. When icicles begin to form around the edges of your roof this is a sign of escaping heat and improper insulation. Take care to remove the ice if this occurs or make sure the melting snow is draining.
Curb Appeal Contingency Plan
With proper care, your home’s first impression still has high hopes through snow and ice. Make sure to wrap greenery in plastic bags or sheets on the coldest nights or even better, plant heartier shrubbery that can resist the biting cold. Since the winters in the South are not as long as our northern friends, hearty shrubs and other greenery will be able to survive the cold. In terms of taller trees take the time to trim branches that flirt with disaster. Branches hovering over or close to the edges of your home or garage become extremely heavy with snow and ice. Avoid damage by trimming them immediately before the weight of winter weather sets in.
Pipe Problems
In order to avoid frozen and burst pipes you need to first of all know where the water valve is in the house. In case of a pipe bursting this will save time knowing where to run to turn off the water. If your pipes are properly insulated or you leave a slow drip on the coldest nights the water should not have a chance to freeze. Since water expands when it freezes, the expansion combined with built up pressure is what breaks a pipe.
How to Properly Winterize
When you are ready to winterize next year begin with checking any exterior siding for cracks and general signs of wear and tear. Make sure to caulk your windows and install weather stripping on all of your doors in order for the best insulation. Schedule annual maintenance checks for your roof, especially if you are in an area that receives a lot of snowfall annually.
Don’t give up on the selling process, even during this season when the weather just doesn’t want to cooperate. It is still a fantastic time to sell because buyers who are searching now typically need to find a home quickly. It is also before the spring rush when the bulk of the homes will be on the market. Stick to your selling plan and before you know it the winter freeze will melt away. For more tips and suggestions contact us!
