WHAT TO DO AFTER WINTER STORM DAMAGE

Winter storm damage is usually associated with damage to the exterior of your home or building, but in a worst case scenario such damage also causes interior damage as water is allowed inside where it isn’t supposed to be. Water damage causes ongoing problems if ignored, rather, it has to be repaired immediately. What is a minor expense and more of a nuisance to deal with can become a major home restoration project if it isn’t dealt with in a timely manner.

Causes of Water Damage

Although nobody can plan for every contingency, there are common causes which more likely than not have led to water damage in your house. The first is a leaking roof which occurs because of damaged or aged shingles and sealant around chimneys. A second reason is because of a burst pipe, which often happens because of freezing weather when the pipe extends through an unfinished area and isn’t properly insulated. Arguably the worst water damage can be caused by flooding when the foundation’s drainage system has been compromised or isn’t functioning properly.

Means of Prevention

Hands down, the best means of prevention is to be aware of damage and have it repaired as soon as it occurs. Such a plan doesn’t always work because it isn’t practical to check your roof after every storm, you can’t predict when a pipe might freeze if it never has before, and you can’t dig up your foundation to check for problems. You can, however, have routine inspections performed and take care of accrued damage as soon as it is found. An experienced contractor can see inspect the roof for problems, notice an improperly designed water pipe, and recognize signs of foundation drainage problems before they cause massive amounts of damage.

Proper Repair Methods

Roofing repairs are fairly straightforward, replace missing shingles, secure loose ones, and reseal around chimneys and exhaust pipes. Misplaced pipes don’t have to rerouted, there is a simple solution against freezing in the form of a specialized insulation. It runs a tiny electric current, not enough to even notice on your power bill and not enough to heat the water noticeably, but just enough to prevent freezing. The foundation, unfortunately, doesn’t have a simple solution but has to be dug out so the drainage system can be rebuilt. The good news is that by design such a problem is rare enough that very few people ever have to deal with it.