Surprising Ways Winter Damages Your Home, According to Experts

The winter can take a toll on practically everything exposed to its harsh conditions—your home included. While the snowfall may look pretty, those freezing temperatures can quickly wreak havoc on your home both outside and in, causing serious damage and leaving you with expensive repairs come springtime.

Your gutters can fall.

Want to keep your home in good shape this winter? It pays to keep those gutters free of debris and ice. “The weight of snow and ice buildup has the capacity to pull down any gutter system—even new ones, depending on how much buildup there is,”

Even if that ice and snow buildup on your gutter system doesn’t cause it to pull away from your home or fall, by springtime, you may have an even bigger problem on your hands.

 a split gutter downspout due to frozen water “will be a major problem and lead to leaks and water running along the house, compromising the foundation or getting into existing cracks in the foundation” once the water thaws.

Think mold and mildew are just a summertime problem? Think again. “When it’s cold outside and warm inside, many surfaces allow for cold and warm air on the surface, walls, ceilings, etc., especially if they are poorly insulated,” explains Tony Abate, a certified indoor environmentalist at AtmosAir Solutions.

Think mold and mildew are just a summertime problem? Think again. “When it’s cold outside and warm inside, many surfaces allow for cold and warm air on the surface, walls, ceilings, etc., especially if they are poorly insulated,” explains Tony Abate, a certified indoor environmentalist at AtmosAir Solutions.

Despite what you may believe, the pipes on the exterior of your home aren’t the only ones at risk of cold-weather damage. “Exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing,” explains HGTV star Anthony Carrino, specifically referring to the ones found in your basement and attic.

Your chimney may be able to withstand some pretty intense heat from the roaring fires you build during winter, but it’s less durable under cold weather conditions.

“When the sun hits the brick or [cinderblock], it begins to warm and expand. When the sun sets, the brick or block contracts, causing any kind of moisture to freeze and crack,”

An expensive chimney repair isn’t the only thing you have to worry about when it’s cold outside. A crumbling chimney due to moisture damage or a chimney cap that’s fallen off due to snow or ice accumulation can create an easy passageway for curious critters to enter your house and make themselves at home.

“Much like humans, these pests crave food, warmth, and shelter, which drives them into homes when the temperature drops,” . And, according to Martin, animals can eat through your home’s insulation, making your house colder than it would be otherwise—they can even remove enough insulation to cause otherwise well-covered pipes to freeze and burst.