You Can Prevent Freezing Damage to Your Property
Are you worried about your property suffering freezing damage in the greater Tri-State area and Cincinnati, OH? Water expands as it freezes, which puts incredible pressure on your pipes, water lines, or other water related appliances. Pipes in your home or business can burst when they can no longer handle the building pressure. Ice dams can also form and cause water damage to your roof and ceiling during the winter. You can protect your home or commercial business this winter by considering the following precautions:
Frozen Pipes
Any pipes exposed to severe cold weather, snow, or freezing rain are possibly at risk. Check the following water sources:
- Outdoor hose bibs
- Swimming pool supply lines
- Water sprinkler lines
- Water supply lines in unheated interior areas like basements or crawl spaces
- Pipes that run along exterior walls with little to no insulation
Protect your pipes from freezing by draining the water from sprinkler supply lines. Always drain water lines according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs and drain and remove hoses you keep and use outdoors. Keep the outside valve open so that any leftover water can expand without causing the pipe to break. Do NOT put antifreeze in these pipes unless specifically directed. Antifreeze is environmentally harmful and can cause damage to nearby plants and animals.
Check all areas where water supply lines may be found in unheated areas such as the garage or under the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Add insulation to your water pipes with “pipe sleeves” or other similar materials that are intended to protect exposed pipes.
If you’re going away for a period of time, leave the heat on in your home. Set the temperature to a minimum of 55? F. It’s crucial to keep your thermostat set to the same temperature during both day and night during times you are home. Changing the temperature depending on if you’re at work all day or in bed at night may save you money on your heating bill, but it will cost you in repair jobs if the pipes freeze and burst, resulting in severe water damage to your property in Cincinnati.
Ice Dams
Ice dams and icicles form after periods of heavy snowfall. When warmer air from the attic causes the roof to heat up, the snow resting on top melts and pools behind the ice. This pooling water seeps under the shingles of your roof. Sometimes water can work its way 5 to 10 feet back up underneath the shingles! Over time, this water will move through the shingles in the roof, through your walls and then onto your ceilings. If you notice peeling paint, sagging drywall, or water stains on your ceilings, these are all signs of water damage occurring from the roof. Ice dams can also result when icicles form on the edge of your roof. Icicles are proof that is water melting and running down your roof and forming into ice once it reaches the colder roof edge.
The best way to prevent ice dams is to keep your attic and roof cold. To do so, you’ll need to close up attic bypasses. Rake back insulation and plug any air leaks using foam or caulking. Always wear a long-sleeved shirt and a dust mask when working with insulation so as to prevent irritation of your skin and lungs.
Consider the depth of your attic insulation level. If you have less than 8 inches of insulation and experienced ice dam problems before, you should probably add more. At least 12 to 14 inches of fiberglass or cellulose insulation is generally suggested. Fiberglass and cellulose hug more tightly around rafters, joists and other obstacles, leaving fewer gaps for air to escape.
Hail Damage
Freezing rain or hail can also cause significant damage to your property. From scuffs against your siding to full holes created from impact, you may need reconstruction services. Our team in Cincinnati offers full reconstruction and repair services from weather-related damages. No matter the property damage, we can help the residents in Cincinnati, OH.
If you still find yourself suffering from ice dams, hail damage or burst pipes due to freezing damage, call the professionals at Olde Fore Restoration to help repair the damages. We offer expert water damage mitigation, cleanup and repair services throughout the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area!