There is a property that I frequently pass that was demolished back in November. It is now the end of winter and the area that was once a house, has been an open pit for four months—exposed to the harsh winter we’ve had. Most people wouldn’t see a problem with this, but there is a big problem that could cost the homeowner a lot of money down the road.

Last week, hundreds of Toronto residents were left without water because the water lines had frozen. So how’d this happen? You may not think about it, but pipes in your home need protection from the cold winter weather too. As water freezes it expands, putting tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it (including plastic or metal pipes). By taking preventative measures before the cold weather hits, you can prevent water lines from freezing and the costly damage that comes with them.

The majority of basement waterproofing today is being done by system companies that claim to offer different methods but always steer you to their preferred method (usually an interior water control system). This one-size-fits-all approach benefits the waterproofing company more often than you, the customer. It’s better practice to use a problem solving approach rather than a system approach.

Adding Natural Light To Your Home

Believe it or not, building in the winter is more costly than building in the summer. Understandably, there could be very good reasons why you need to build in the winter months, but there are also a few reasons to consider holding off on that addition, second story or brand new build until the warmer months!

While it’s quite difficult to be prepared for everything winter may bring our way, there are a number of things we can do to make its impact a little more bearable.