Cold Weather in South Carolina: What to Watch for Around Your Home

Extended winter weather isn’t typical in South Carolina, but when temperatures settle into the 20s and 30s—even for a short period—it can change how your home behaves. With cold and icy conditions upon us, now is a good time to stay aware of a few key areas that tend to be affected during a freeze.

Exterior Plumbing & Water Use

Even brief freezing temperatures can impact outdoor plumbing, especially fixtures that aren’t used often during winter.

If you haven’t already, outdoor hoses should be disconnected so water isn’t sitting in the line overnight. Exterior faucets, particularly those on shaded sides of the home, are more vulnerable during overnight freezes. Faucet covers help protect against temperature swings, and once the weather warms back up, it’s smart to take a quick look for dripping or reduced water pressure that could indicate a minor issue.

Inside the home, maintaining regular water use can also help. Running water occasionally—especially in rarely used bathrooms or sinks—keeps water moving through the system during colder nights.

After temperatures return to normal, it’s a good idea to do a quick check around the home. Look for slow drips at faucets, reduced water pressure, or damp areas under sinks and around exterior walls. These can be subtle signs of stress from freezing temperatures and are often easiest to address when caught early.

Well Systems & Water Flow

For homeowners on a private well, colder temperatures can affect water systems a little differently than municipal water.

During a cold snap, it’s helpful to pay attention to water pressure and flow, especially in the mornings. If temperatures remain below freezing overnight, allowing occasional water use can help keep water moving through the system. Well equipment and exposed components—such as well heads or pipes located above ground or in unheated areas—can be more sensitive to freezing conditions.

Once temperatures rise, take a moment to check for any changes in water pressure, unusual sounds from the well system, or signs of moisture around exposed components. If anything feels out of the ordinary, addressing it early can help prevent further issues.

Heating System Performance & Thermostat Behavior

Cold snaps are often when homeowners notice how evenly their heating system performs.

Pay attention to how quickly your home warms up, whether certain rooms feel cooler than others, or if you find yourself adjusting the thermostat more frequently than usual. These observations don’t necessarily mean something is wrong, but they can be helpful indicators if you ever need to troubleshoot or service your system.

In homes with multiple thermostats, it’s important to make sure all thermostats are set to heat mode during cold weather. Having different thermostats set to different modes can create confusion within the system and affect how efficiently it operates.

If you notice uneven temperatures, start with a few simple checks: confirm vents are open and not blocked by furniture, replace the air filter if it hasn’t been changed recently, and verify thermostat settings are consistent throughout the home. Keeping interior doors open can also help warm air circulate more evenly.

As an added precaution during freezing temperatures, opening lower cabinet doors along exterior walls—such as under kitchen or bathroom sinks—can allow warm air to circulate into those spaces and help protect plumbing in colder areas of the home.

Drafts, Air Movement & Overall Comfort

Lower temperatures tend to make small air gaps more noticeable, especially early in the morning or overnight.

You may feel cooler air near exterior doors, windows, or garage entry points. This doesn’t indicate a defect—just normal air movement becoming more apparent when it’s cold outside. If drafts are noticeable, simple temporary solutions can help improve comfort, such as using draft blockers or rolled towels along the base of doors, closing blinds or curtains at night to help retain heat, and ensuring doors and windows are fully latched. These small adjustments can help reduce cold air intrusion during colder stretches without requiring permanent changes.

Fireplaces & Supplemental Heat Use

Some homeowners use gas fireplaces during colder stretches to add warmth or comfort, particularly in the mornings or evenings.

In newer homes with gas fireplaces, ventilation and airflow controls are built into the system and operate automatically, so the fireplace functions as designed without any manual adjustments. Using the fireplace as intended and keeping the area around it clear allows it to operate efficiently and safely. As with any heat source, it’s best used for comfort rather than as a primary heating system.

If using portable space heaters, treat them as a temporary supplement. Place them in open areas with adequate clearance, use them for shorter periods, and turn them off when leaving the room.

Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Colder weather typically means heating systems, fireplaces, and other heat sources are running more often, which increases the importance of working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

This is a good time to test each detector to make sure it sounds properly, replace batteries if they haven’t been changed recently, and confirm detectors aren’t giving chirping alerts or false alarms. Carbon monoxide detectors are especially important during colder weather, as they’re designed to alert you to issues that aren’t visible or easily noticed. Making sure these devices are working as intended provides an added layer of safety while heating systems are in regular use.

Staying Aware During a Cold Snap

Freezing weather in South Carolina may be short-lived, but during periods of sustained low temperatures, small changes in how a home operates can become more noticeable. Paying attention to things like water use, heating performance, airflow, and overall comfort allows homeowners to address minor concerns early and avoid unnecessary disruptions once temperatures return to normal.

Taking a few extra moments to check in on these areas during a cold snap can help keep your home operating smoothly and safely. And remember, your Hunter Quinn Homes service team is here to help answer any questions or provide guidance if something doesn’t feel quite right.