In winter, there are a few easy steps you can take to protect your tiny from minor technical problems.
Cold, wind, snow and frost can have a direct impact on your tiny-house. Water pipes that freeze, condensation inside the tiny, poor insulation – these are just some of the problems that will spoil your life in your beautiful tiny, if a minimum of precautions aren’t taken. For general maintenance of your tiny, see this article on our website.
A guide to best practices for a peaceful winter in a tiny house :
- Repositioning your tiny: the ground on which your tiny house stands is bound to move, depending on the properties of the soil, the weather, etc. (e.g. after a rainstorm, the ground becomes muddy, and this has a direct impact on the stability of your tiny with regard to your wedging).
Setting up your tiny house is essential to maintain its stability. It is recommended to do this twice a year.
2. Check humidity:
- Air your kitchen and bathroom every day, even when it’s cold,
To avoid condensation, ventilate your tiny house for at least 10 minutes every day.
- Do not obstruct wall and window vents,
- Do not hang laundry in the tiny house. The humidity level inside a tiny house should be between 40 and 60%. If you find that humidity is high, you can buy a dehumidifier.
3. Insulate water inlet and drain pipes: to prevent freezing
4. Purge the water if your tiny is not lived in for an extended period, to prevent freezing.
5. Insulate under the tiny with cork, wood wool, flax, hemp or cellulose wadding for bio-sourcedinsulation. You can also use rockwool and glasswool for biobased insulation mineral insulation. If you can and want to, position straw bales under the perimeter, but be careful: “NOT RECOMMENDED” as they are highly flammable in the event of a fire.
6. Check the condition of the roof. In fact, it’s one of the first elements to be exposed to winter weather (snow, rain, sleet…). To do this, check the tightness of the sheet fasteners; check the condition of the gaskets and replace them if they look damaged; clean the gutters.
7. Maintain the heating system. Whether wood-burning, gas-fired or electric, you must have it inspected once a year by an approved professional, and have the flue swept (if you have a wood-burning stove in your tiny). A well-maintained heating system not only guarantees safety, but also saves you money by avoiding the extra costs associated with poor heating maintenance (which leads to higher consumption).
Remember to have your chimney swept once a year if you have a wood-burning stove in your tiny house.
8. Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detector if necessary.
9. Check the condition of seals on doors, bay windows and windows: a cracked or damaged seal should be replaced immediately to prevent air and water infiltration, and also to prevent traces of moisture from forming inside the frame. What’s more, if the joints are faulty, the paint or stain may become waterlogged and flake off.
10. Clean your CMV’s extract and supply vents (if fitted) once a quarter.
