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Managing Snow/Water Damage

Managing SnowWater Damage - Image 1

Following the record blizzard that dumped up to three feet of snow over the Northeast, property owners were faced with rain only two days later. The weight of waterlogged snowpack threatened the integrity of flat-roofed buildings as well as homes without a sufficient slope. While instinct might be to stand on your roof and shovel the snow off, this can prove to be quite dangerous. In addition to the obvious risk of slipping off the roof, your weight combined with that of the snow could well prove to be the breaking point of your roof. Investing in a long-handled roof rake will allow you safely pull snow down while you're safely on the ground or to push snow off a porch roof from second floor windows. Check your roof for signs of leaks in the attic or crawl space.

As the snow melts, managing the run off will be important to keeping the water out of your home. Shovel out the ends of your downspouts and clear a drainage path away for your house to prevent ponding water close to the foundation.  Remove snow around Bilco doors, walkout basement doors and window wells.  Keep a close eye on gutters to watch for ice dams. 

Finally, shovel out storm drains and fire hydrants if you live close to either one.  Fire departments typically ask that three feet around a hydrant be kept clear. In the event of a fire, you'll want them to have quick, easy access to the hydrant. As for the storm drains, blocked drains will allow water to back up in the street, sometimes quite dramatically.  If the temperature drops again, these ponds become dangerous sheets of ice. While the water itself may not back up all the way into your home, a car hydroplaning or skidding on ice very well could cause headaches in your front yard. 

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Norwalk, CT 06851
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