3 Real Winter Repairs (and 2 Quick Checks) to Do Before the Freeze

Minnesota winters are hard on houses. The good news is that most winter damage starts as a small problem you can fix in an afternoon. Here are three repairs from recent Get Fast Solutions jobs, plus two quick checks to do before the freeze.

1. The door that won't sit right

The story - On a recent job at a St. Paul home, a basement door leading to a storage room was hanging off-center and wouldn't close properly. The hinges had been installed with the wrong screws, so they never pulled the door tight to the frame. Dan swapped in the correct screws, secured the hinges, and the door now opens and closes the way it should.

Why it matters in winter - Heating season dries and shrinks wood, and humidity swings make doors stick. A door that's already out of alignment gets worse, and it can leak cold air.

Try this first - Check the hinge screws. Tighten any that are loose. If a screw spins without gripping, it needs a longer screw or a repair of the hole. For more fixes, see our guide to everyday door problems.

Call a pro if - the frame is cracked, the gap is uneven from top to bottom, or tightening doesn't fix it.

2. Outdoor spigots and hidden leaks

The story - A family's basement flooded right after the outside of their house was pressure washed. A plumber came out, shut off the water to the outdoor spigot and checked for a leak. He couldn't find one, so the water was left off, and the likely cause was put down to the pressure washing. When we came in, we turned the shut-off valve back on and checked the water meter. Then we hooked up a hose with a sprayer and turned on the spigot. With that pressure behind it, water poured back into the house from a leak in the water line. We cut the copper line, removed the old spigot, installed a new one and fixed the leak. The meter check also turned up two more leaks (see the sidebar below).

Why it matters - A connected hose traps water inside the spigot, which freezes and can crack the pipe behind the wall.

Try this first - Unhook and drain the hose, shut off the interior valve, open the spigot to drain it, and store the hose.

Call a pro if - the spigot drips after you shut it off, you've seen water inside the wall, or your water meter keeps moving when every tap in the house is off. Some leaks only show up with a hose and sprayer on, which is why the pressure test found this one.

Sidebar - how a water meter finds hidden leaks

On that job, checking the water meter led Dan to two more leaks, both at toilet flappers, wasting about 50 gallons of water a day. You can run the same check at home. Turn off every tap and appliance, then watch your water meter. If it keeps moving, water is leaking somewhere.

Here is a quick test for a flapper leak. Add a few drops of food coloring to the toilet tank and wait 15 minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl means the flapper isn't sealing.

3. Gutters (screens don't mean they're clear)

The story - We were asked to bid on cleaning out gutters that had trees growing out of them. The gutters had screens on them, so you'd think nothing could clog. But screens and gutter guards still fill up over time, because decomposing leaves, dirt and debris work their way in. Here, about 2 inches of dirt had built up in the bottom of the gutter, enough that water overflowed instead of flowing into the downspouts. Dan removed the leaves on top, pulled the screens, cleared out the 2 inches of dirt, and fixed the downspouts so the water now drains the way it should.

Why it matters - Clogged gutters hold water that freezes and backs up under the roof edge.

Try this first - Don't trust the screens. Check the bottom of the gutter for packed dirt, not just the top for leaves. Clear it before the first hard freeze, run a hose to confirm water reaches the downspouts, and make sure the downspouts drain away from the house.

Call a pro if - the gutters are packed with dirt or growing plants, the downspouts are blocked, you see sagging gutters, ceiling stains or icicles along the roof edge, or you can't reach the gutters safely from a ladder.

Quick check 1 - Drafts around doors and windows

Why it matters - Small gaps let heat out all winter, and you pay for it on every bill.

Try this first - On a cold day, hold your hand near the edges of doors and windows, or use a lit candle or incense stick to see the flame move. Replace worn weatherstripping and re-caulk exterior gaps.

Call a pro if - the gaps are in the frame itself or around large windows.

Quick check 2 - Smoke and CO detectors and the furnace filter

Why it matters - Windows are shut and the furnace runs constantly, which is when these matter most.

Try this first - Test every detector, replace batteries, check the manufacture date (most expire after about 10 years), and swap the furnace filter.

Call a pro if - you're unsure where detectors are required or want them added.

Don't want to tackle the list yourself?

Dan can handle small fixes like these quickly. Tell us what's going on and request a free quote, or call (612) 567-9337. Want the full list first? See our fall home walk-around guide.