Winter Water Damage: What No One Warns You About
Everyone’s heard the same winter water damage advice: “drip your faucets,” “keep the heat on,” “open your cabinet doors.” Sure, that’s fine — but that’s not what actually floods houses every winter.
The real damage comes from the stuff no one talks about. If you’re experiencing water damage, Zeppelin is here to help.
What Causes Winter Water Damage
Like the sump pump that hasn’t run since August and dies the first time it’s needed. Or gutters packed solid with ice, forcing meltwater straight down your siding and into the foundation. Or the attic insulation that got shifted around and now lets warm air hit a cold roof deck — hello, ice dams.
Even the little things matter. People turn off heat in a basement “to save energy.” A single night in the teens and those copper lines are toast. We’ve seen it more times than we can count.
Winter also exposes every weak point you didn’t know you had. That tiny foundation crack that stayed dry all summer? It’s now taking on water from a frozen-downspout backup. The washing machine hose you meant to replace last year? Brittle and cracked.
And here’s a big one — vacation houses and rentals. You’d be shocked how many water losses start in homes that sat empty for the holidays. Pipes burst, water runs for days, and the whole place turns into a mold incubator.
The truth is, Michigan winters don’t just cause water damage. They test your entire system. If you are experiencing water damage, Zeppelin is available 24/7 to help. Call us at (313) 731-0025.
How to Mitigate Water Damage
A few quick reminders that actually matter this time of year:
- Test your sump pump by pouring water in the pit. If it doesn’t kick on instantly, replace it.
- Keep your gutters and downspouts clear of ice. They’re the silent cause of basement water in January.
- Don’t shut off heat in any part of the house. Ever.
- Check the attic for frost buildup — it’s the first sign your ventilation’s off and moisture’s rising.
- Know where your main water shut-off is. When something goes wrong, seconds matter.
Most people don’t think about water until it’s on the floor. The goal is to never let it get that far.
At Zeppelin Cleaning Services, we’ve seen every kind of winter mess a Michigan house can make. Frozen pipes, sump failures, attic leaks, basement floods — every one of them preventable with ten minutes of attention.
So skip the “set your thermostat to 68” advice. Go check the stuff that actually breaks. That’s how you keep winter dry — and stay out of our trucks. If you need emergency water or flood cleanup, call us today at (313) 731-0025.