Winter storms bring snow, ice, and freezing temperatures that can cause serious damage to your home. Learning how to prepare for winter storm conditions is essential for protecting your property and avoiding costly repairs. At Oaks Roofing & Siding, we've helped many homeowners winterize their homes and prevent winter storm damage. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the critical steps to safeguard your home before the next storm hits.
Understanding Winter Storm Risks
Before diving into preparation, it's important to understand what you're protecting against. Winter storms can cause several types of damage including frozen pipes that burst and flood your home, ice dams that lead to roof leaks, heavy snow loads that stress your roof structure, and exterior damage from ice and wind. The key to winter storm preparation is addressing these vulnerabilities before severe weather arrives.
How to Winterize Your Home
As winter weather like snow or ice approaches, we’re covering five ways to help your home stay warm throughout the storm.
Protect Your Roof from Snow and Ice
Your roof faces the brunt of winter weather, making it critical to prepare properly. Start by inspecting your roof for damaged or missing shingles, cleaning gutters and downspouts to prevent ice dams, and checking attic insulation and ventilation levels. Proper attic ventilation helps prevent ice damming by keeping your roof temperature consistent.
Ice Damming Prevention
Ice dams form when heat escapes through your roof, melting snow that refreezes at the eaves. This creates a barrier that traps water, leading to leaks. To prevent ice dams, ensure your attic has adequate insulation, verify proper attic ventilation to maintain consistent roof temperature, seal any air leaks from living spaces into the attic, and consider installing heating cables in problem areas. Contact our team to learn more about ice damming prevention and removal services.
Safe Roof Snow Removal
Knowing when and how to remove snow from roof surfaces is crucial. Generally, you should consider removal when snow depth exceeds 6 inches. If you notice sagging, stress signs, or ice dams begin forming, contact a roof professional like Oaks Roofing & Siding immediately. For safe roof snow removal, use a roof rake from the ground, never climb on the roof, work from the edge inward, pulling straight down, remove snow in small sections to avoid overloading areas, and never use sharp tools that can damage shingles. If your roof is steep, complex, or the snow is heavy with ice, call professionals for expert removal.
Protect Pipes from Freezing
Frozen pipes are one of the most common and expensive winter home issues. A burst pipe can cause a lot of money in water damage. To help keep pipes from freezing, wrap exposed pipes in unheated areas (basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages) with foam pipe insulation or heat tape. Pay special attention to pipes on exterior walls.
Temperature Management
Keep your thermostat set to at least 55°F when you're away, open cabinet doors under sinks to allow warm air circulation, and let faucets drip slightly during extreme cold (a pencil-width stream is sufficient).
How to Prepare for a Snow Storm
When weather forecasts predict an approaching storm, here is a winter storm checklist to use:
72 Hours Before:
- Stock emergency supplies (food, water, medications, flashlights, batteries)
- Fill prescriptions and fuel vehicles
- Charge all electronic devices and power banks
- Review your insurance coverage and document valuable items
24 Hours Before:
- Bring outdoor furniture and decorations inside
- Clear gutters of any remaining debris
- Test your generator if you have one
- Adjust thermostat settings to slightly warmer than normal
During the Storm:
- Keep faucets dripping in extreme cold
- Monitor for roof stress or sagging
- Stay off roads unless absolutely necessary
- Keep emergency supplies accessible
How to Prepare for an Ice Storm
Ice storms require special considerations beyond typical snow preparation. Ice accumulation adds significant weight to trees, power lines, and structures while also creating extremely hazardous conditions.
Ice Storm Prep:
- Trim tree branches that overhang your roof or power lines (hire professionals for large trees near power lines)
- Have alternative heating sources ready in case of power outages
- Know how to manually open your garage door if the power fails
- Keep rock salt or ice melt on hand for walkways and driveway
Post-Storm Inspection Checklist
After winter storm damage occurs, a thorough inspection is essential. Check your roof for missing or damaged shingles and ice dam formation. Inspect ceilings and walls for water stains or leaks. Test all faucets to ensure pipes haven't frozen. Examine siding and trim for ice or wind damage. Document any damage with photos for insurance purposes.
When to Call the Professionals
While many winter storm preparation tasks are DIY-friendly, some situations require professional expertise. Contact Oaks Roofing & Siding when you need ice dam removal (never chip ice yourself), roof damage assessment and repairs, or gutter system installation or repairs. Our experienced team can also perform comprehensive pre-winter home inspections to identify vulnerabilities before storms arrive.
Oaks Roofing & Siding: Quality You Can Trust
At Oaks Roofing & Siding, we offer various dumpster sizes to meet your needs. Our dedicated representatives are always here to answer questions so your rental process goes smoothly. Call or contact us today, and we'll be happy to help.
