Prepare Your Vancouver WA Home for January Cold Snaps

Getting Ready for January's Coldest Days

After December 2025's historic rainfall, Vancouver WA homeowners might forget that January brings a different threat: freezing temperatures. Cold snaps can arrive quickly, and unprepared homes face burst pipes, ice damage, and expensive repairs.

Protect Your Pipes Before Temperatures Drop

Frozen pipes cause some of the most expensive winter damage. When water freezes, it expands and can crack pipes. When it thaws, you have a flood.

Disconnect outdoor hoses and store them inside. Water left in attached hoses can freeze back into the pipe and cause it to burst.

Cover hose bibs with insulated covers available at any hardware store for under $10. This simple step prevents the most common pipe freeze location.

Insulate exposed pipes in crawl spaces, basements, and garages. Pipe insulation costs a few dollars per foot and takes minutes to install.

Know your shut-off valve location before you need it. If a pipe does burst, shutting off water immediately limits damage.

Keep Your Home Warm Enough

Even when you are away, keep your thermostat at least 55°F. This prevents interior pipe freezing, especially in exterior walls.

Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls during extreme cold. This allows heated air to reach the pipes.

If you leave for vacation in January, consider having someone check your home or install a temperature monitor that alerts your phone if indoor temps drop.

Check Your Gutters and Drainage

After the December storms, gutters may have debris that causes problems when temperatures drop. Standing water in gutters freezes, adding weight and potentially damaging fascia boards.

Ice dams form when clogged gutters prevent proper drainage. Water backs up under shingles and can leak into your home when it melts.

Make sure downspouts direct water away from your foundation before the ground freezes.

What to Do If Pipes Freeze

If you turn on a faucet and nothing comes out during cold weather:

Keep the faucet open. As the pipe thaws, water needs somewhere to go.

Apply gentle heat with a hair dryer, heat lamp, or space heater. Never use open flames.

Check all faucets. If one pipe freezes, others may too.

Call a plumber if you cannot locate the frozen section or if you suspect a pipe has burst.

The Post-Storm, Pre-Freeze Window

Right now, between the storms and the cold, is the ideal time to check your home's winter readiness. Address any foundation concerns from the recent flooding before frozen ground makes problems worse.

For professional gutter cleaning before January's cold arrives, contact Seasons Cleaning Services.

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