Winter weather conditions can be brutal and will inflict relentless forces on your home or business throughout the winter months. As a New England property owner, it is essential that you understand the dangers of cold weather conditions on your home or business. More than that, you need to take thorough and effective steps to protect your property against the impending impact of deep cold, strong winds, snow, ice, and other damaging elements.
The Impact of Winter Weather on Your Roof
Because of the unique position of your property’s roof across the top of your building, the roof takes the brunt force of winter weather conditions. The roof must be in perfect condition in order to create an impermeable barrier. However, strong winds can blow at least a few shingles out of place. In addition, the risk of ice dams on the roof is significant. An ice dam occurs when the roof’s temperature is uneven. Ice and snow may melt at warmer areas of the roof, but it may refreeze when it reaches a cooler area. The result is a dam of ice that has a pool of water above it. Your roof is designed to be impermeable to water that runs downward off of it. When water pools up, such as is the case with an ice dam, water can seep underneath shingles and cause significant water damage inside the home or business.
The Effects of Cold Weather on Your Plumbing System
Your property’s roof is not the only component that may be damaged by frigid temperatures. Water can freeze along the exterior of your home or business as well as inside the structure. Freshwater and wastewater are contained by your plumbing system’s pipes, and these pipes can freeze when outdoor temperatures reach extreme levels. Most pipes are protected by exterior walls, cladding, and even insulation. They may also be moderately heated by the building’s interior warmth. However, insulation may not be even throughout the walls. It can also deteriorate over time or be damaged by other sources. In addition, interior heat generation may be minimal or nonexistent if the HVAC system is not doing its job well. Frozen pipes are common throughout the winter in New England, and they can cause significant damage. In addition to the risk of extensive property damage if a pipe ruptures, your ability to draw water from the pipe may be impaired until the frozen water thaws.
The Incredible Damage Caused by Water
You can see that water-related property damage in the winter months is common because of frozen pipes as well as roof damage and ice dams. When water is not properly contained in your home or business, it can quickly spread across the floor. It may also penetrate into the property through drywall, down support beams and more. Water can deteriorate the condition of these features, and it may damage the electrical system, furniture, cabinetry, and many other components. Some surfaces may be impermeable to damage from water for a period of time, and others may be damaged almost on contact. In some cases, this damage is not immediately identified, and the flow of water throughout the home or business may spread quickly. Damage is often widespread, and it must be remedied immediately to reduce the severity of the damage. Staining as well as mold growth are commonly related to this type of damage as well.
How to Prevent Water-Related Damage During the Cold Weather Season
As common as damage from water is throughout winter months and beyond, you can take considerable steps to reduce your exposure to this type of property damage. Some of the thoughtful and effective ways to prevent this type of winter weather damage in homes and businesses include:
– Upgrading insulation in ceilings, attic, and walls
– Wrapping exterior or exposed pipes
– Leaving the water running at a trickle during freezing weather conditions
– Maintain the thermostat at a comfortable temperature
– Clean your gutters and roof
– Service your HVAC system
– Identify and seal all exterior gaps
Your Source for Fast, High-Quality Water Damage Cleanup and Restoration
Deep cold is common throughout the long winter months in New England, and it can cause serious property damage in minimal time. If you have discovered signs of significant damage in your home or business, Insurcomm is your trusted source for storm damage cleanup and restoration work. Regardless of the cause of damage in your property, you can expect our skilled and well-trained repair and restoration team to effectively remove the water as a first step. Timing is critical when dealing with water remediation. As time passes, your property’s risk for mold growth and additional damage from water increases. After we quickly remove the water, we will then dry out the building. This includes bringing humidity to a normal level to further reduce the risk of mold growth. Once these steps have been addressed, we can efficiently restore the condition of your property. Rest assured that we have the skills, equipment, and dedication required to produce the fast results that you need.
Regardless of whether winter is quickly approaching or it has already arrived, it is never too late to prepare your home or business for the incredibly damaging forces that will impact it soon. An ounce of prevention goes a long way toward protecting your property from ice dams, frozen plumbing features and other types of damage. However, even when you take these preventive steps, damage may still occur. We have a cleanup and restoration team on standby waiting to assist you. At the first sign of damage from water in your home or business, contact us 24/7 for a fast emergency response.