Water will always find a way to damage properties in any season. However, the change in temperature that winter brings can be extremely harsh on homes. When they are left unprepared for the winter months to come, they are left vulnerable to water damage. Freezing temperatures or thawing snow can bring damage when the proper measures aren’t taken ahead of time. 

Water Damage Cleanup – Owasso

Preparing for the most common reasons, such as burst pipes, roof leaks, and thawed snow leaking is crucial when avoiding a large amount of water damage. The experts from Oklahoma Disaster noticed the following to be the top reasons for their services in the wintertime.

Burst Pipes

Burst pipes are among the most common reasons for water damage in a home, no matter the season. However, during the frigid months, there is a high likelihood of pipes freezing and bursting. Contrary to popular belief though, pipes don’t usually burst because of the expanding ice. Rather, building pressure between a faucet and an ice blockage will do the trick. 

Keeping pipes warm during freezing periods is essential to avoid water damage. Insulating them is a great, inexpensive way to ensure that the pipes are always snug. Before winter starts, inspect the home to see what needs to be insulated to ensure no problems will befall. 

In addition, making sure the property is never frigid is very important. Though it may seem more expensive to keep the heat running, it will prevent the building from getting too cold and causing potential freezes in the pipes. While out of the home, keep the indoor temperature at a minimum of 55 degrees to ensure that nothing gets too cold. 

Gutter Blocks

Gutters are an essential part of any home to keep water damage away. Any blockages in gutters will unfortunately prevent this. In the winter, gutters that have any sort of moisture in them can freeze up and end up being rather destructive. A home’s gutter system can easily get weighed down by a large amount of snow or ice buildups. When the snow along the roof melts from the heat from inside the home and trickles into the gutter, it begins to pool and freeze into what is known as an ice dam. 

Ice dams are known to loosen shingles, tear off gutters, and cause water to back up into your home. Finding a preventative measure is important for your home’s structural safety. However, if you already have ice dams forming around your home, it’s equally important to know how to remove them quickly and swiftly. The best way to prevent ice dams is to use heated cables that clip along the roof’s edge in a zigzag pattern, ensuring that freezing and snow accumulation does not occur on the roof. With that, you will need to make sure that your gutters are adequately clean so the runoff and excess water can make it safely to the ground. Another preventative measure may include insulating your attic properly and using a roof rake to take off the excess snow. 

Thawed Snow

While it’s important to prepare for the upcoming cold weather, it’s also important to start preparing for spring during the winter season. In the springtime, melted snow is expected which, if you are unprepared, can bring lots of water damage. Throughout the winter, make sure that you are continually cleaning off your roof and away from your home. Keeping the snow on your roof can cause ice dams and cave-ins on the roof if there is too much accumulation. Once you have the snow off your roof, you will also need to shovel it away from your home to avoid flooding. You will need to check your basement floors, walls, windows, and doors to ensure that everything is properly sealed to prevent water from getting in. 

Though you can take all the preventative measures there are, unforeseen problems can still inadvertently happen. At that point, it is completely out of your control. However, water damage cleanup doesn’t have to be done. Professionals at Oklahoma Disaster Restoration can ensure that any water damage issues that you have will be taken care of swiftly.