Discover How to Prevent Water Damage This Winter
If you live in the Northeastern United States, winter can be the worst time of year for your home. Not only do you have to deal with snow and ice, but the ensuing water damage can lead to thousands of dollars of home repair costs.
Between pipes freezing and bursting, the resulting flooding, and ice dams; winter has a way of wreaking havoc on your home. Fortunately, there are several ways you can protect your home, gutters, and property from the perils of old man winter.
At Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island, we are the leading gutter installation, gutter cleaning, and repair company in the area. In addition to gutter services, we also offer powerwashing, shrink wrapping, roof washing, and more. Simply put, we offer a host of solutions to protect and beautify your home.
As such, we have outlined a few relatively simple steps you can take to protect your home throughout the winter. Continue reading to learn more and don't hesitate to reach out to the team at Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island for gutter services.
Watch Out for Ice Dams
Ice dams form when snow and ice melt from the heat of your home, travel down your roof, and refreeze at the edge where a cold exterior meets a warmer interior. This causes a block of ice to build up that prevents melting snow from draining off of the roof properly. Please keep in mind, ice dams are not necessarily the same thing as icicles hanging off the gutters.
If left on its own, it can cause severe water damage to your roof, interior ceilings, and walls. However, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent ice dams from wreaking havoc on your home.
- Keep your gutters clean. Your first line of defense against ice dams are clean gutters. This can help ensure winter run-off water doesn't get clogged and refreeze at the gutter to form ice dams.
- Consider installing gutter guards to protect your home from ice dams. Gutter guards help keep your gutters clog free.
- Maintain good insulation and ventilation in the attic. Having proper attic insulation can prevent the escape of warm air that melts snow and causes ice dams to form. Improper attic temperature is generally the #1 cause of ice damming.
- Maintain proper roof ventilation to accommodate for heat loss. Fixing any leaks or moisture problems on your roof during the summer..
- Using fans to circulate warm air in your home can help to prevent ice dams. It is a great way to prevent pipes from freezing if you won't be home for a long period or will be going away during the cold months.
Simply put, ice dams can be extremely scary and hazardous. Read Ice Dams 101: How to Identify, Prevent and Remove Ice Dams.
Reduce the Likelihood of Ruptured Pipes
Did you know the temperature in your home can help protect your pipes? When the temperatures drop outside, it's best to keep your home at least 65 degrees to prevent burst pipes.
You can also open sink cabinets to promote the circulation of warmer air under the sink where the pipes are located. If you live in warmer climates, work to keep your humidity at or below 40%. This can help prevent the formation of mold.
Check Your Pipes for Leaks
If you're on the mainline, it's essential to be aware of any changes in sounds coming from the pipes. The best way to do this is by having a small trickle of water running day and night during the winter months. This will allow you to detect unusual noises, which may be an indication of a pipe about to burst.
It also alerts you if there seems to be some blockage in the pipes, where water should be flowing freely through them instead of causing problems like flooding or leaks. If you hear potentially troublesome sounds at any time, especially when no one else is home, it's a good idea to reach out to a professional plumber for further assistance.
Insulate Your Pipes
One of the most manageable steps you can take to protect your property from water damage is by wrapping your pipes in insulation. This will keep them warm enough to ensure that they don't freeze while still inside your home's exterior walls.
The best insulation for this job is fiberglass foam pipe sleeves. These sleeves are easy to cut and fit around any sized pipe. You can purchase these at a hardware store or have them custom-made by a plumber. They're also very affordable, so you won't have to worry about breaking your bank account just for this small safety precaution.
Get Connected Home Solutions
Today's technology is smarter than ever. And there are several ways you can leverage this smarter technology to protect your home from water damage this winter.
Water Shutoff System
If your home has a water leak or busted pipe, every second the water is allowed to flood your home is precious. Because of this, it makes sense to install a water shut-off system.
If the water shut off system detects a leak, it can automatically turn off the water and alert you prior to any serious damage occurring. At the same time, strategically placed temperature sensors can quickly alert you if it detects any extreme environmental changes. This can greatly mitigate the risk of frozen pipes and other valuables that may be more climate sensitive.
Leaving for the Winter? Get Smarter.
Products like Nest will allow you to manage and monitor your home even while you're away. Based on the system you choose, you can remotely control appliances, lights, video systems, the thermostat, and more. Leveraging this technology is the perfect way to protect your home
Contact Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island
At Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island, we are here to help you protect your home and be better prepared to weather whatever nasty tricks winter likes to play. And one of the most essential steps you can take to winter proof your home is to have your gutters professionally cleaned.
Contact us today to schedule your professional gutter cleaning service. 1 631 582-0142.
