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ALL ABOUT HOUSES BY ANDY CONSOLI

Protecting Your House from the Icy Cold

Originally appeared in Haverhill Life magazine, January 2018

Winter brings cold, snow, and ice—and with them, the potential for costly damage to your home. Two of the most common issues are frozen pipes and ice dams, both of which are preventable with a little preparation and care.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

Pipes often freeze in places with insufficient heat, such as:

Behind cabinets on outside walls (especially under kitchen or bathroom sinks)
In crawl spaces
Near open or broken windows and small holes in exterior walls

To prevent freezing:

Seal any openings or cracks in siding or foundation walls.
Close cellar windows tightly.
Insulate accessible pipes in the basement, crawl spaces, and beneath sinks.
In very cold weather, open cabinet doors under sinks to allow warmer air to circulate.

If a pipe does freeze:

Use a hair dryer or a hot, wet towel to thaw it.
Avoid open flames or heat guns—both are fire hazards.
Be prepared to open walls (e.g., under sinks) if necessary to access the frozen section.

Dealing with Ice Dams

An ice dam forms when snow melts on a warm roof and refreezes near the roof’s colder edge. Water then backs up under the shingles and leaks into the home, potentially damaging:

Ceilings
Walls
Insulation
Flooring
Mold growth can follow if the area stays damp.

Key prevention strategies:

Ensure proper attic ventilation from soffit vents (lower edge) to ridge vents (peak of the roof).
Verify that attic insulation prevents heat from escaping into the attic.
Keep attic air as cold as outside air to prevent premature melting.

Safe snow removal tips:

Use a roof rake to remove snow buildup from the lower roof sections.
Never rake all the way down to the shingles—this can damage roofing materials.
Avoid climbing onto the roof—snow-covered roofs are extremely dangerous.
If you hire help, choose a licensed and insured contractor.

To control ice dams:
Fill nylon socks or pantyhose with calcium chloride (not rock salt) and lay them vertically across the roof’s edge. This creates channels for melted water to drain off safely.