Well Winter 2019 is winding down but it is going out with a ROAR and not a whimper. We have another big snowstorm headed our way tomorrow but a warm up is in our future and that means the Spring Thaw.
Between Ice Dams and the imminent melting here are some tips to help protect you home from water damage this spring with all the snow we have received.
Tips to Prevent Flooding as the Temp Heats Up
Use these tips to keep help prevent flooding in your home. The majority of snowmelt happens in March and early April so pay attention to weather forecasts and get out ahead of the warmer weather.
- Shovel snow away from your foundation paying special attention to ground level windows and doors.
- Clear drainage areas around your home of snow so water, if it does get in, can get back out.
- Check for leaks in the walls, windows, and foundation of your home. Repair any cracks you find to keep the water out.
- Keep shoveled snow from your driveway and yard on your own property. Street drains need to stay open to do their job properly. The same principle applies to community catch basins.
- Inspect your roof and eaves for ice and snow buildup. If you can’t safely do it yourself consider hiring a professional to do the work for you.
- Remove snow and ice from the areas where your downspouts are and extend them by 40 inches or more to ensure excess water drains away from your home’s foundation,
- If conditions are particularly bad and flooding seems like a real possibility employ sandbags around the foundation of your house to provide an additional defensive layer of protection.
As with most things in life, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take the appropriate steps to protect your home this spring.
ICE DAMS:
This late in the season the best remedy is getting the snow off of your roof with a roof rake, or hiring a company to come out a remove the snow and any ice dams you may have. The old school option is to use a panty hoe and fill it it sidewalk salt and lay it perpendicular to the ice dam so so it will melt the ice dam and give a channel for the water to run off the roof.
