People from out of state are often surprised to learn that it gets quite cold in Arizona during the winter, but it’s true – and those freezing temperatures will be arriving a lot sooner than you think.
If you’re new to the area or are a recent homeowner, it’s essential for you to take specific steps to properly prepare your home for the weeks and months ahead. Doing so will not only help keep you and your loved ones comfortable – it can be a great way to stop a small problem now before it becomes a much bigger and more expensive one down the road.
Prepping Your Home for Cold Temperatures in Arizona: What You Need to Know
By far, the most crucial step you can take to prepare your home for those cold Arizona winters involves making sure that the chilly air stays where it is supposed to – outdoors. Go around your house and look for cracks in the caulking that seals all windows and doors. If temperatures start to drop and you can feel cold air coming into the room, you likely have a caulking issue even if you can’t necessarily see it. Fix those caulking issues as soon as possible to avoid significant problems down the road.
Along the same lines, you’ll want to carefully examine the foundation walls of your home to check for any cracks or signs of wear. As the Earth shifts, your home often slightly shifts with it, causing these minor-yet-problematic cracks to appear. Seal these cracks as well to keep that cold air outside your home all winter long.
Next, you’ll want to prepare your pipes from freezing – especially ones that are near any doors and windows. For the best results, try to keep the indoor temperature set to at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re going to be leaving for a few days, open your faucets slightly and let them slowly drip. This will make sure that the water inside the pipes doesn’t freeze, causing them to burst.
Finally, get out your ladder and head onto the roof to prepare your roof AND your gutters for ice dams. If your gutters aren’t clean and they start trapping water, that water may turn to ice. As that ice expands, it could damage your cutters or even cause water damage inside your home – both situations that you would do well to avoid at all costs.
The Coyote Creek Approach
At Coyote Creek, our luxury homes are all custom designs – meaning that they’re built not only to your precise specifications but also in a way that protects the spectacular view that you’ve selected. All of this is done in the name of maximizing your enjoyment of open space and a stunning desert, which really are the most important goals of all.
So if you’d like to find out more information about how to prepare your home for the chilly winter months in Arizona, or if you have any additional questions that you’d like to discuss with someone in a bit more detail, please don’t delay – contact Coyote Creek today.
