30 Nov. 18

Causes of Winter Home Damage

We all want our homes to be safe, and today it seems that there are endless things we must protect it against. Even with insurance, we still need to keep in mind that we can take measured steps to safeguard our home against seasonal dangers. Cold winters can be a time where water damage is rampant, but knowing what to look for can be a real lifesaver when it comes to taking preventative measures.

Here are a few of the most common examples of winter home water damage, and how to keep an eye out for them.

Freezing Water in Pipes

Any water supply that is not protected against the cold is vulnerable to having ice form in it, thus rupturing the pipe. If the pipe ruptures, you could be looking at hundreds of gallons of water being released into your home just in the first hour. You can prevent this from happening by installing pipe insulation, or having a water damage specialist such as Drying Tech do it for you, if you fall into the less-handy end of the spectrum.

An easy measure you can take yourself, in addition to pipe insulation, is to leave your faucets on just enough to keep a small, annoying drip going. The sound might seem like torture, but it will relieve pressure inside the pipe if it does freeze. Keep an eye out for a fully stopped water flow as well. If this happens, it’s safe to assume you have a frozen pipe – call a professional immediately, don’t wait until it thaws and ruptures to know for sure.

Ice Dams

On any cold night, you want to keep the inside of your house nice and warm. There’s no fault in that generally, but it does leave your roof at risk of being much warmer on the underside than on the top where the snow is. This disproportion will make the snow melt faster than usual, maybe even faster then your gutters can handle. The melted snow can run down right into the gutters, pool and freeze again, creating water damage in your gutters and even your attic. You can prevent this with proper attic ventilation, or you can call us at Drying Tech and we can give you a hand with it. We’ll also check to make sure that any cracks, gaps, or openings are sealed up with caulking to prevent heat loss, while we’re at it.

Snow Melt

If you’re picking up on a theme here, it’s the melting of the snow and ice that really does your house damage. It’s not any different when we look at the subterranean areas of your home, especially around the perimeter. When the snow melts, it can fully saturate the soil all around your house. Without proper precautions in place, you might be looking at a leaky foundation and basement walls. A few easy ways to fix this yourself are sealing up any cracks and gaps with caulking in your basement wall, and simply maintaining your shoveling routine all around the house. We can also help you with further steps, like big leaks or installing a sump pump.

Wintertime is a magical time of year, so call Drying Tech to keep the merry atmosphere going with a safe and protected home.