Winter Water Damage

12/11/2017 (Permalink)

For many in the US, the thought of getting home water damage from a cold snap does not even cross our minds, but the truth is, any home can be susceptible to cold. Here are some tips you will need to be aware of in order to protect your home from expensive water damage.

Ice Dams: Ice dams cause a significant amount of water damage each year to homes.  There are essentially two ways in handling ice dams.  You can do a temporary installation of heat cables on the overhang of your roof.  These cables will heat the roof area and melt the snow not allowing it to form ice damn, however, this method can also cause damage to your shingles and shorten the life time of the shingles.

The most effective long-term solutions are to keep heat out of the attic and to promote ventilation under the roof deck to keep it as cold as possible.  A soffit-and-ridge vent system usually requires insulation baffles installed at the lower side of the roof, above the exterior walls. The baffles hold back the insulation by a couple of inches, creating a channel for air to flow past the insulation. 

Pipe Breaks: When winter temperatures plummet, water can easily freeze inside the piping, causing them to burst. If you are unaware or not home when this happens, massive amounts of flooding to your home can happen to your home, furniture, and rugs. The best way to avoid broken pipes is to wrap the uninsulated pipes with a blanket or foam. 

Melting Snow: Melting snow can impact any home, whether it has a basement, crawlspace, or a slab foundation. If enough snow ends up piling up next to your foundation, it’s going to create a lot of water once it melts. If your lawn is not sloped away from your home, you are very likely to get gallons of water coming in from your foundation. 

High Winds Roof Damage:  Winter storms often bring very fast moving and strong winds with them.  These strong winds are capable of tearing shingles off of your roof.   Just a small amount of damaged or missing shingles can end up allowing a lot of water into your attic.  When possible a roofing company can come and check your roof, but remember that if there is snow and ice on the roof it is not safe for anyone, including trained professionals to get on the roof.    

If you experience water damage to your home this winter, SERVPRO of LaGrange Park/North Riverside here to help.  Give us a call at 708-240-4873 for all your water damage needs.