Hurricanes, tornadoes, and strong thunderstorms are enough to make any homeowner lose sleep at night. However, once the hurricane and storm season winds down in November, you’re not out of the woods quite yet. Winter has its own set of potential disasters, and home or business owners would do well to know what to look out for in order to keep their properties protected.
Facing a winter disaster is a bit different than facing one in the summer, spring, or fall. During these seasons, it’s typically more temperate outside, and outdoor construction can be underway quickly to get your home back up and running once again. In the winter, however, restoration may take a little bit longer as your construction crews will need to work with the weather themselves. For instance, an exterior paint may not be able to be applied in below freezing temperatures, and that snowstorm that makes it hard to get into the office might make it impossible to carry on with your reconstruction until the storm blows by.
Knowing What To Look Out For
Knowing what winter disasters might befall your home is important to keeping prepared. When you know what to look out for, you may be able to avoid damage in some instances. The top winter threats to your home to look out for are:
- Frost heave Frost heave is something that many home and business owners don’t think about, even though it could be a disaster lurking right beneath the ground you walk on. During freezing conditions, the soil will swell upward as ice grows toward the surface of the ground. Frost heave can do serious damage to the foundation of your property, leading to extensive restoration work. Poorly maintained gutter systems can contribute to frost heave, so it’s imperative to make sure your gutters are cleared and dispersing water properly.
- Fireplaces and Christmas trees Fire is a serious concern during the winter months, particularly those stemming from Christmas trees or poorly maintained fireplaces. Natural Christmas trees should be kept watered at all times and far away from candles or other open heat sources, and fireplaces should be cleaned regularly and professionally throughout the year.
- Frozen pipes A frozen pipe can quickly turn into a burst pipe, leaving you with freezing water flooding into your home. Keeping pipes insulated and water flowing through the pipes are the best ways to avoid freezing and bursting.
- Heavy snow and ice For your roofing system, heavy snow and ice brought on by winter storms can do a great deal of abuse. Regularly having your roof inspected, using proper insulation, and keep your roof free from debris can stop you from experiencing a roofing system failure after a winter storm.
Keeping Your Home Safe Throughout The Year
Keeping your home safe and sound is a priority throughout the year. During the winter months, knowing what disasters could strike can help you to prepare your home for safety in the most effective ways possible. If the worst does occur, and you require restoration fast, contact us at Disaster Response today.
