If you live in a colder climate, you are probably aware of some of the challenges cold, wet winters can present for home and business owners, but you may not be completely informed on how you can prevent these winter water damage issues from happening to your property. At 24 Restore serving Minneapolis, we want to make sure you are fully educated on these winter water problems so that you can prevent a disaster before it happens. Here are two common types of winter water damage and how you can protect against them so you don’t have to deal with any kind of winter water damage cleanup.
If you live in a climate where temperatures regularly drop below freezing, you’re probably not a stranger to the term “frozen pipes”. The commonly known solution to this problem is to leave your faucets dripping when it’s cold outside. While this does help, there are so many more things you can do to prevent the water from freezing in your pipes and leading to cracks and leaks.
If your pipes are exposed, it is very important that you make sure they are insulated in some way whether you use insulation tape, fiberglass sleeves, or old towels (although we recommend only using towels as a temporary fix until you can insulate them with better material). Common places for exposed pipes are attics and crawl spaces.
When temperatures are below freezing, it is a good idea to leave cabinet doors beneath sinks open to allow the warm area to circulate around the pipes. Caulk any holes in the exterior walls of your home or business to prevent cold air from coming into the structure and in contact with any pipes. You may be tempted to turn off the heating to your home or business when you are gone from it for a few days to save money, but this can be dangerous for your pipes during the winter. If you want, you can turn your heating down ten or so degrees, but dropping it much more than this puts you at risk for frozen, burst pipes.
If for whatever reason your pipes freeze, burst, and result in water damage to your home. Contact a professional water damage cleanup business to assist you. Contact 24 Restore if you live in Minneapolis.
Many areas with colder climates have building code requirements in place that require new buildings being built to have roofs with a certain minimum degree slope or steeper to prevent hazards like ice dams and other roof damage during the winter. Roofs with higher pitches allow snow to fall off of them rather than buildup, freeze and create harmful hazards to your home or business. However, even if your roof has a high pitch, winter roof damage can still occur.
If your property was built before your area’s building codes were enacted, or you live in an area without these kinds of roofs codes, you may have a roof with a low pitch that puts you at increased risk for winter roof damage because snow and ice have a difficult time sliding off of it, so they build up. It’s good to be aware of this if your roof is one of these lower-pitched ones so you can be especially diligent in roof damage prevention practices.
Before winter, clean out your gutters. This will prevent water from leaking into places it shouldn’t be because it has nowhere else to go. If your area experiences heavy snowfall, a lot of weight can be put on your roof, putting it at risk for damage. After a heavy snowfall, remove snow from the roof using a ladder and a shovel.
Although these prevention practices greatly reduce your risk of winter water damage, sometimes life happens, and your property may still be hit by a winter water disaster. If you need water damage cleanup services, contact a professional. Contact 24 Restore if you live in Minneapolis.