Extreme cold: Why is my house cracking and popping in freezing weather?
Bitter cold can make your home do strange things in the winter months.
From broken furnaces to busted pipes, extreme winter weather can wreak havoc on your home. But perhaps the most noticeable concern isn't a winter woe at all. That loud popping noise you've noticed your house or deck making isn't a poltergeist or structural issue.
Instead, it's the interaction between your home's building materials as they contract and expand. Extreme cold reduces the moisture content in those exposed to outside air, causing them to shrink. Inside, heat causes expansion.
The simultaneous expansion and contraction of materials, fastened together, creates friction, which causes the popping sounds you hear.
While the popping noises may not be a threat, frozen pipes can cause havoc. Here's how to avoid the problem:
Still water freezes first. Leave a faucet slowly dripping to keep water flowing. The water can be captured in a bucket and used for other purposes around the home, like watering plants and washing dishes.
Open under-sink cabinets to allow warm air to circulate near your pipes.
What if there’s no water coming out of your faucets? Check your water meter. If water is leaking or spraying from your meter or the bottom is cracked, the meter is frozen. Feel for frozen pipes. Pipes located along exterior walls are most susceptible to freezing. To thaw pipes, contact a licensed plumber or use hot towels or a hair dryer. Never use an open flame.
Information from the Indy Star and Des Moines Register was used in this article.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa weather: Why does my house pop and crack when it's cold?
