….
Winter temperatures can lead to problems like frozen pipes, flooding, and other water damage.
Some people might think that winter temperatures won’t cause problems, but even dropping below 40 degrees Fahrenheit can lead to damage.
If vacant, your house still needs to be kept reasonably warm.
Heat isn’t free, but it’s much cheaper to keep your empty house warm than to repair serious damage later.
It can be tempting to leave your vacant house to its own devices. After all, no one is there to complain about the cold.
However cold temperatures cause three main problems for unheated homes:
- Frozen pipes
- Flooding
- Humidity and water damage
Unheated homes naturally wind up at the same temperature as the outdoors over time. Even the best insulated home will slowly cool down as winter sets in. Heat slowly escapes through cracks, vents, and even through solid walls. The result is a house that can’t protect its plumbing anymore.
When your pipes get too cold, you’re faced with one of two possibilities:
either they’re going to freeze, or they’re going to crack and leak.
The only way to prevent this is to keep your pipes from getting too cold. Heating your property enough to keep the plumbing in the walls above freezing is the simplest way to manage that.
Even if your pipes don’t freeze or crack, cold temperatures lead to humidity problems. Vacant homes are typically sealed up tight against the elements.
What’s the Best Temperature for an Empty House?
Luckily, you don’t have to heat your home much to protect it from the elements. You can keep a vacant house at 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit to keep it safe.
Set the Thermostat
Set your thermostat to the right temperature. 55 degrees is safe in just about every house. Make sure the heater is set to automatic, so it will kick in only when temperatures drop below that threshold. This will help you keep heating costs low.
Keep Things Airtight
If your empty house is leaking air every which way, your heating bills will be sky-high no matter what. Insulating the house properly will help keep bills down, since you won’t be losing as much heat to the outside.
From plumbing problems to condensation damage, an unheated vacant house can develop all sorts of water problems. Keeping your home at a stable 55 degrees will help keep water of all types under control
Hopefully this article has helped you safely heat your vacant property.
