How to Protect Your Home from Snow and Ice Damage
Waking up to a snow covered landscape can be one of life's little joys. As you sit cuddled under a cozy blanket with a warm beverage in hand gazing at the winter wonderland outside your window, it’s important to remember that for your home to protect you from these outside elements you need to, in turn, protect your home. Fortunately for you, protecting your home from snow and ice damage can be easily done in just a few steps.
Prepare Your Garage Door
There’s nothing worse than the feeling in your stomach when you’re rushing to get somewhere, and you try and open your garage door only to find it frozen shut. To prevent this, have the torque on the garage door adjusted before the cold weather sets in, this will give the mechanisms more lifting power once the temperature drops.
To prevent your garage door from freezing shut, make sure the weather seal is in good shape and replace it if it looks worn. If winter weather is in the forecast, pretreat the concrete below the garage door with table salt. Table salt has the same melting properties of road salt, but it is far less corrosive. When snow and ice do hit, be sure to periodically go out and keep your garage door clear to prevent any buildup.
Clear Out Your Gutters
The ideal time to clean out your gutters is late autumn or winter after all of the surrounding trees have shed their leaves. When your gutters become filled with leaves, branches, and other debris it can become difficult for them to properly drain which can lead to ice dams; an ice dam occurs when rain or snowmelt sit stagnant in the gutter during the day then freeze overnight causing ice to form in the gutter. The ice dam can then force water back up under the roof line causing costly damage.
Trim Back Branches
Even the most sturdy looking trees and branches can succumb to wet, heavy snowfall. Take the time in late autumn or early winter, once the leaves have completely fallen, to remove or trim back any branches that could damage your home, vehicle, or other property if they were to fall.
Instead of taking the time out of your busy schedule to make sure all areas of your home are ready to protect you from the winter elements ahead of a snowstorm, call Andy OnCall! Our knowledgeable and professional contractors will make sure the job is done quickly and correctly so that you can sit back and enjoy the snow from the comfort of your home without worry.
