Protecting Your Home in Winter Weather

Below is information from State Auto about how to protect your home from Ice Dams and Freezing Pipes.

 

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.K-950-E (0213)

Freezing Pipes

Frozen water in pipes can cause water pressure 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.