Winter 2026 Will Bring Warmer Drier Weather So Are You Ready
Photo by Arno Senoner on Unsplash
Weather predictions for winter in Georgia in 2026 indicate that due to a La Niña condition, weather will generally be warmer and drier than usual. Winter will be mild with a few cold snaps. This leads to some different considerations to protect your home during winter.
Because it is "warmer" overall, homeowners often forget to winterize. However, La Niña winters are famous for sudden, extreme Arctic outbreaks. If you haven't insulated your pipes because the season started with mild weather, a single 24-hour deep freeze can cause pipes to burst more easily than in a consistently cold winter. Even if it is still warm out, turn off the water to your spigots and cover them so you are not caught off guard during a sudden temperature drop. Close external vents during January and February to avoid cold air getting to pipes under the floors or in unheated areas.
Georgia's red clay is "expansive," meaning it acts like a sponge. When it dries out during a warm, dry winter, it shrinks and pulls away from your foundation. This creates a gap that allows water to become trapped against your foundation when it rains again. To try to prevent this shrinkage, water the ground about 12 – 18 inches away from your foundation for about 15 – 30 minutes twice per week to keep the soil’s moisture level consistent. You want the ground to be damp enough to stay in a clay state but not muddy. During extremely dry conditions, you may have to water more often to maintain this. If you do see a gap between your soil and foundation wall, do not add water to that gap. Water the area further away from the foundation to encourage it to expand back toward your home.
Dry winters significantly extend the "fire season" and change the hazards around your property. With less rainfall to keep vegetation damp, dormant grass and shrubs become highly flammable fuel. High winter winds, which are common in La Niña patterns, can turn a small spark or a discarded cigarette into a fast-moving grass fire that threatens homes. To protect yourself, clean out your gutters and under your deck to remove dead leaves that can be easily ignited by windblown embers. Rake up dry leaves and pine straw on your lawn keeping anything that can act as mulch 3 – 5 feet away from your house. If you haven’t already done so from reading previous blog articles, prune limbs that are dead or within 6 feet of your home, so they don’t fall or blow into the side of your house during a winter high wind.
In a drier, warmer climate, natural vegetation in the home such as house plants lose moisture much faster. A dry plant can be fully engulfed in flames in less than 30 seconds if a light socket shorts out or a candle is nearby. Use a humidifier to keep indoor air between 30 – 50% humidity. This will help slow how fast indoor vegetation dries out and becomes more flammable.
During those anticipated cold snaps, heating systems must work harder to overcome the sudden temperature drop. The leading cause of winter home fires is heating equipment, specifically space heaters placed too close to curtains or furniture. Make sure your household heating unit has been inspected/serviced so it will be able to shift into high gear during cold snaps without failing. Check placement of space heaters before use to be sure they will not set anything on fire during use. Do not leave space heaters running when no one is around.
Drier air leads to more static buildup. While rare, static discharge near flammable vapors can act as an ignition source. This is another reason a humidifier is a good way to protect your home during a particularly dry winter. Wear leather-soled shoes to prevent buildup of static electricity, as opposed to rubber-soled shoes, which are insulators and help build up the charge. Better still, if you are staying indoors walk with bare feet, which may keep you better grounded.
ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points are ready to help no matter what weather conditions come our way. For those sudden cold snaps, we have an excellent water damage restoration team that is ready to respond every hour of every day in case you need us. Our water damage restoration services for commercial and residential customers help mitigate the damage resulting from a natural disaster or plumbing failure. We also have a fire and smoke damage restoration team that can help you if the dry air and high winds lead to a fire that affects your home or business. Our full-service fire damage restoration team at ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points will choose the appropriate materials to clean your home of soot and smoke damage, and they will remove the odor and salvage as many of your belongings as possible.
We work with all major insurance companies as well as directly with the home or business owner. Our services are based on insurance guidelines and industry standards, so you know you are in good hands when you call us. Call ServiceMaster of Gwinnett or ServiceMaster 5 Points for help if you experience any water or fire & smoke damage this winter and get your home or business restored as quickly as possible.