As if slippery sidewalks and snow-covered cars aren't bad enough during the winter, you face another potential headache: ruined carpets and water damage to your ceilings and walls from leaks caused by ice dams or bursting pipes. You may be able to avoid the resulting aggravation and expense by taking basic steps right now to prevent this kind of damage.
Ice Dams
An ice dam is an accumulation of ice at the lower edge of a sloped roof, usually at the gutter. Once an ice dam forms, the potential damage can be serious. Take these steps now to avoid trouble later:
-Keep the attic well-ventilated. The colder the attic, the less melting and refreezing on the roof.
-Keep the attic floor well insulated to minimize the amount of heat rising through the attic from within the house.
Freezing Pipes
Frozen water pipes can cause water pressure to buildup between the ice blockage and the closed faucet at the end of a pipe, which leads to pipes bursting at their weakest point. To keep water in pipes from freezing, take the following steps:
-Fit exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping to slow the heat transfer.
-Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes with caulking.
-Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets connected to pipes that run through an unheated or unprotected space.
Keep these in mind to reduce your severe winter weather risk.
