Foreclosures In The Dead Of Winter

Whether you are listing a property or representing a buyer be aware of the things that the cold weather may do to the property. As a home inspector I have seen many problems that could have been avoided just by keeping the house heated to a low temperature like 50 degrees. Above all remember this; many of the materials inside of a home are not meant to be frozen. Sub floors made of particleboard type material or OSB, can sometimes be damaged when frozen. The reps from some of these companies have told me that the inside of these homes trap humidity because they are usually closed up all the time. This moisture then penetrates the floors, counter tops, and other wood material and when frozen goes through the "freeze - thaw" cycle and swells or warps the wood. The wood may go through this several times in a winter and destroy the integrity of the material. If possible (and I know it's not always possible) try to convince the seller of the advantages or disadvantages of an unheated house. Also remember as far as plumbing winterization goes a local TV investigating reporter surveyed almost 500 homes and found out that over 80% had damage to the pipes even after a professional winterized the home. There are usually low spots that just can not be drained properly and these areas are susceptible to damage. Leaving the heat on helps in both of these situations in addition to making the house easier to sell by making it more comfortable to show. There are also some serious structural problems that can happen due to the heat being off throught out the winter. More on that later. Good luck to all.