With the polar vortex hopefully behind us, you’ve probably heard a few crazy stories about the sort of damage the frigid temperatures have caused. Of course, there are some silly and fun things happening where people have made the best of the below freezing temperatures by throwing coffee or boiling water in the air and watching it turn to snow, or turning a traditional water gun into a snow gun. But there have also been bursting pipes and toilet tanks that are exploding because it’s so cold the water inside the tank froze. Winter storms can do serious damage to your home.
There are many ways a winter storm can damage your home’s interior and exterior. Ice dams, high winds, and heavy snow can cause leaks and shingle deterioration on your roof. Similarly, cold and snow can cause paint to peel or moisture leaks. Wood may start to rot underneath your siding. Ice dams can also damage your gutters. The ice builds up, causing the gutters to pull away from the roofline. You may even find damage to your home’s foundation, with hairline cracks in the concrete. In extreme cases, tree limbs or entire trees may fall with the weight of snow and ice, falling on parts of your home.
If your home isn’t properly insulated, not only will you likely experience cold spots in your home, condensation on your windows, and air leaks, but you may be more prone to bursting or frozen pipes. If this happens, you could have a lot of water damage to your home, especially if you aren’t home to shut off the main water valve when a pipe bursts.
You should be aware of all these potential winter storm damage problems. Insulate your pipes, and fill in any cracks or open spaces in the insulation or foundation each spring. If temperatures drop below zero, open the cabinets under your sinks so warm air can circulate around pipes, and leave the faucets on a slow trickle. Take care of your roof each year to prevent ice dams, and trim loose limbs or cut down dead trees to prevent them from falling on your home.
It’s also good to know of a disaster repair company that can help with storm damage should anything occur during a winter storm. They’ll fully assess the damage to your property and take appropriate action to fix any damage caused by snow, ice, cold, or high winds. An assessment will help secure your homeowners insurance claim to save you from a financial disaster.
Whether you need an emergency board-up, water extraction, content cleaning, or complete reconstruction, the experts at Royal Renovations are here to get your home and life back to normal.