Although water damage is a year-round issue, it becomes more prevalent as winter approaches. Every season, even in the dead of winter, water manages to harm buildings––when calling logs for water damage service in Kansas City highly likely rises on the records. Cooler temperatures, including leaks and water infiltration, can bring on weather-related winter water damage. Ice dams can develop on roofs, and uninsulated water lines can freeze and burst during the winter.
This article will teach you how water damage can happen during the winter months to prepare, anticipate the worst, and handle the situation appropriately.
- Flood in your Basement
Basement flooding is often caused by one of two: poor drainage, which allows rain or groundwater to seep into the building, or a sewage backup. There are several potential causes for the first scenario, drainage failure:
- Inadequate floor or wall sealing
- Cracks in your floor or walls
- Weeping tile failure
- Sump pump failure
- Blocked or damaged eavestroughs
Sewer backlog is the second source of floods that happen for several reasons:
- Obstructions
- Tree roots
- Collapsed or broken pipes
How to prevent flooding in your basement from happening?
A flooded basement is highly likely to happen due to its location underground. It is either caused by the dripping moisture above it, bursted uninsulated pipes, or any common plumbing issue narrated above.
Moreover, there are ways to avoid flooding in your basement and dealing with this expensive misfortune:
- Place waterproofing sealant to prevent water from entering cracks in foundations, floors, walls, and windows.
- Clear your home’s surroundings from snow.
- To avoid melting snow and raindrops near your foundation, remove any extra snow from your roof.
- A clear catch basin
- Use a rental pump to empty the water into a gutter.
- Ruptured Pipes
The water pressure accumulation between a sink faucet and an ice obstruction causes pipes to burst. Even the most robust pipe cannot withstand the force of expanding water. It will burst the pipe. The pipes most likely to burst are typically not insulated and run along exterior walls, as well as water lines that run through colder parts of a house, such as an attic, basement, garage, crawl space, or area under a kitchen sink.
Moreover, to avoid ruptured pipes or burst pipes, you can use heat tapes and cables can be used to help lower the dangers. The pipes can also be wrapped in blankets or towels to prevent them from becoming too chilly.
- Results in Ice Dams
When snow on the roof melts due to heat from the attic and refreezes at the gutters, ice dams form at the roof’s margins. If neglected, they can cause a lot of harm. They happen when your roof’s components warm up above freezing, melting the snow. The melting snow descends to the cooler area of the roof, where it starts to refreeze. Ice dams are more likely to form when there is more snow on the roof because more snow has a chance to melt.
Before the onset of winter, inspect your roof to find any damaged shingles and repair them. It is more affordable compared to replacing the roof entirely. Ensure that the insulation in your attic and roof is adequate. Make careful to patch up any attic air leaks brought on by drywall gaps, light fixture fractures, chimney cracks, etc. If a ceiling light fixture is immediately below an unheated attic, ensure it is insulated.
- Roof Leakage
Ice jams along the gutter subject a roof to unneeded strain. Water leaks under the roof shingles, causing them to pull up and harm the roof, leading to roof leaks. When a leak occurs, you can notice unattractive water stains on your ceilings or drops that fall into the interior of your home, both of which are alarming. Water intrusion during the winter is more likely if there has already been damage to the roof.
To ensure your roof is properly prepared for winter, keep an eye on your home’s gutters and grading during dry or wet weather and before winter. Place water leak detectors where there could be a water issue, such as on sump pumps, close to fixtures that hold water, and behind or below pipelines—placing a water membrane beneath the roof shingles can lessen the leakage.
Be a responsible homeowner!
Disasters often happen despite all precautions. Uncontrollable forces of nature can come our way as homeowners, and all we need to do is be prepared enough not to suffer costly structural damages in the bleak midwinter. While most of these cases already happen to many homeowners through the years, things slip and need professional fixing if necessary. In cases like this, contact water damage experts in Kansas City in any water damage-related emergency. These experts have the tools necessary to completely dry out homes and businesses in less time.