Prepping For Winter Water Damage Using These Steps
Fall is here in Westchester, which means winter is just around the corner. Now is the perfect time to perform some maintenance and take preventative steps around your home in preparation for winter and to prevent the risk of water damage associated with winter weather. New Crystal Restoration has been in the water damage cleanup business for over 60 years, so we have seen our fair share of winter water damage. Here are some things we suggest doing this fall to help prepare your home for winter:
- Inspect the entire outside of your home and look for any damaged areas. Cracks, openings, and chips in siding and foundation provide ways for water to seep into your home, so be sure to look for any areas that need patched and repaired before winter comes.
- Inspect your roof to be sure that it is in good condition, there are no loose or missing pieces, and that water does not collect on the roof. Be sure that your roof is maintained regularly and fortified to withstand the snow and ice that comes with winter.
- Since windows and doors provide openings into your home, it is important to be sure that any repairs on seals around windows and door frames are fixed before the cold weather comes. You can use caulk or weather stripping to seal areas around windows and doors to prevent water, snow, and ice from leaking inside. This step will also help keep in which will make your heater that much more efficient this winter and could even cut back on electrical or gas bills.
- Leaves and debris can collect in gutters and downspouts, causing water to back up and overflow onto your home and around your foundation. Anytime water collects around the outside of the home, it has the potential to cause water damage inside. Check that water is not getting trapped behind gutters, and that it can flow freely away from your home.
- If you have a sprinkler system, make sure to turn it off and drain the water completely. Any water that is left sitting in those pipes can freeze and cause the pipes to burst and spring leaks. Burst sprinkler pipes can cause major flooding in the basement of your home, so it is important to get them blown out before freezing temperatures come.
- Turn off exterior faucets and drain hoses to store them away during winter. If there is water trapped in your house when the temperatures drop, it will not only ruin the hose, but also cause water to freeze back up into the pipe. Frozen pipes are bad news for water damage prevention.
- Insulate pipes that are exposed to outside walls of the home, located in basements and attics that do not have heat, and that are prone to freezing when temperatures drop. Keeping pipes insulated will help prevent eaters inside them from freezing, Since frozen pipes increase the pressure on pipes, it will make pipes burst which can cause major leaks and flooding.
- Save New Crystal Restoration’s contact information in your phone. If you end up needing water damage cleanup, you know who to call to take care of you and your home.
