To prevent your home’s pipes from freezing and cracking during the winter, drain excess water from outdoor faucets and sprinkler systems. You should also disconnect any outdoor hoses, covering the faucets with insulators. Pipes traveling through unheated areas such as the garage, basement or attic should be insulated. To avoid ice dams, clean out gutters and keep your roof clear with a roof rake, removing the excess weight that accumulating snow can cause.
To Prevent Pipes from Freezing, Insulation is Key
Last winter a Pepperell, MA family learned the hard way the damage that a New England winter can wreak on a home. Assuming that as long as the house was well-heated the pipes would be fine, the family neglected to consider the unheated areas of their home. Poorly insulated pipes in the garage led to a big problem when they froze and cracked during a particularly cold spell. The family quickly learned that insulating the pipes in these unheated areas is critical to preventing damage to the home.
Gutters and Roof are Key to Preventing Ice Dams
Another big concern for homeowners during the winter months is ice dams. A clogged gutter can quickly lead to a big problem as snow melts and freezes from day to day. Leaves and sticks left in the gutter can force the water under the roof line of the home, leading to extensive damage.
Heavy snow accumulation left on the roof can also lead to big problems, as the weight becomes more than the roof can handle. The roof can sag and even crack under the weight, leaving behind a costly trail of damage. Using a roof rake to remove snow can go a long way to preventing this.
The family in Pepperell has now insulated their pipes in the unheated areas of the home. They have also cleaned the gutters and plan to regularly remove snow from the roof to prevent any damage to their home this winter.
The post How to Prevent Ice and Snow Damage to Your Home appeared first on Joyce Cooling & Heating - Nashua, NH.
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