Snow is essentially frozen water and it can cause major water damage to your home. For example, if there is too much snow or ice on your roof or inside your gutters, it can cause major issues for your property. However, there are many ways you can prevent water damage in your home. It is important to understand how snow and ice can damage your property. You should also know how following proper prevention tips can help you keep your home safe from water damage due to snow.
How can snow cause water damage to your home?
Melting snow can create flooding:
Melting snow can cause the same type of damage as a flood. It may actually get into areas that rain cannot get into which can cause damage in your home.
Your roof may collapse:
If there is heavy snowfall, your roof may collapse under the pressure and heaviness of the snow. You can also experience cracks and leaks in your ceiling or attic.
It is important to remove snow from your home and shovel around the foundation to prevent water damage
Presence of icicles means you have ice dams:
If you have icicles present on your roof, that means that there are ice dams that have created a barrier on your roof or gutters. Ice dams cause blockage in the gutters which prevents proper drainage. This means that when the ice melts, it may get into your home.
When water freezes, you may experience cracks:
When snow melts and goes onto your roof and gutters, it can refreeze which can cause damage to your home. When freezing water expands, it can create cracks and further damage.
Mold can cause damage in your home:
Even during winter, you may have mold growth in or around your home. Snow can be the culprit for mold growth as it can prevent airflow and add extra moisture to some areas of your home, causing mold to grow.
Keeping snow away from your home:
It is important to remove snow from your home and shovel around the foundation to prevent water damage to the inside and outside of your home.
Get a roof rake:
This tool helps you get rid of snow from your roof so that it does not build up. You can scrape the snow off your roof from the ground.
Keep proper temperature in your home and attic:
You should always be careful not to have your home too hot during the winter months as it can create ice dams and water damage. Before the start of winter, a professional company should check your insulation and ensure that your attic stays cool during the cold months. This will allow the snow not to melt before it should and refreeze which can create ice dams.
Your roof should be inspected by a professional:
You should always get your roof inspected by a professional roofing company. This will help make sure that you can get any needed repairs done before snow or ice can cause damage.
Know your options for keeping your property water damage free:
Depending on the issue at your specific property, a professional roofing company will be able to let you know the best solution for any problem you may be experiencing. For example, they may recommend that you replace your gutters if needed to protect your roof and your home from snow and ice.
Although having snow and ice on your roof may be dangerous at times and can damage your roof if there is lots of snowfall, you should still be careful about how you remove snow from your roof. It is important to know the proper strategy to remove snow from your roof, as it will prevent costly damage. For example, you should not remove snow from your roof with a shovel. This may cause damage to your roof, and put you at risk of a fall. Here are some things you can do to remove snow and ice of your roof:
Call a professional:
If you think you have an issue with your roof when there is heavy snow, call a professional company to get the snow removed.
A roof rake is a great tool to keep your roof clean:
Using a roof rake is a safe and effective way to clean your roof from snow and ice.
De-icer can be used on your roof to melt snow:
Using a de-icer is a safe way to melt snow from your roof. You can also use a de-icer around your gutters to prevent buildup and ice dams.
Use a tarp in dangerous areas:
You can quickly remove snow and ice after a heavy snowfall from areas that are more dangerous to reach.
Even after following all of the precautions on how to keep your home water damage free, you may still experience heavy snowfall that can cause water damage to your property. In that case you should call the professionals to help clean up and restore it.
Have you experienced water damage at your home or business? ServiceMaster S&R Systems can help! Whether you’ve experienced flooding due to heavy rains, burst pipes, or roof leaks, our highly trained professionals will arrive quickly and get to work. You must react quickly and give us a call so we can start the process of water damage restoration. This will ensure that any porous materials and furnishings can be saved, and structural damage can be prevented. For all of your water damage mitigation needs, make sure to call us at (630) 896-0030.
