How Snow Causes Water Damage in Southington, CT

11/16/2021 (Permalink)

When snow causes water damage in Southington, CT, you should take fast action to prevent the issue from becoming worse.

Snow water damage in Southington, CT is more likely to happen to your home than you would think. Here, we'll go over the different ways that snow can cause damage to your home.

3 Ways Snow Causes Water Damage

1. Ice Dams

2. Melting Snow and Ice Flood

3. Roof Damage

Ice Dams

Ice dams form when there's snow on your roof, and when your attic is warm enough to increase the temperature of your roof. Warm air may enter your attic through exhaust vents, inadequate insulation, unsealed doors, or even recessed lighting in the ceiling below.

When your attic warms your roof after a snowstorm, the snow melts and flows to the edge of the roof. Here, melted snow refreezes into ice as this area of the roof is not warmed by the attic.

Over time, this process creates the large ridge of ice that we refer to as the ice dam. As the dam grows, it allows water to get underneath shingles and leak into your attic. Once an ice dam causes a roof leak, snow water damage can quickly spread throughout your home, and even result in the growth of mold. The leaks from an ice dam require professional water damage restoration services.

To prevent ice dams and water damage in Southington from snow on your roof, you can:

• Install additional insulation in your attic to keep it cool
• Install a roof venting system which keeps it cool
• Use a roof rake to remove excess snow before it melts
• Use heated roof cables to melt snow off of the roof

Melting Snow and Ice Flood

You may never guess that snow can cause basement flooding in Southington, CT, but it's true. When it's warm or sunny enough after a snow storm, snow can melt faster than the ground can fully absorb, similar to a heavy rainstorm.

This causes groundwater levels to rise, exert pressure on your foundation, and allow water to seep through or get through small cracks. This flooding may seem like it's coming out of nowhere, but when melting snow water has nowhere to go, you can end up with snow water damage in your basement.

To help prevent excessive snow and ice melt from flooding your home, make sure that your gutters extend away from your home's foundation and that snow is piled away, not next to your foundation.

Roof Damage

When there's heavy snow and ice on your roof, it can cause serious roof damage completely separate from an ice dam.

The weight of snow on your roof can damage the roof structure itself, cause gutters to sag and pull away from your home, or damage flashing along chimneys, walls, or skylights.

When these components of your roof are damaged, it leaves it open for water leaks until repaired. This means that if you don't notice the damage right away, you can end up with not only water damage from snow on the roof, but also from regular rainstorms when the seasons change.

Roof damage from snow can be avoided in much of the same way as ice dams. Make sure that you remove excess snow with a roof rake, hire a professional to remove ice dams or excessive icicles, and have the roof inspected for signs of damage.

Snow Water Damage in Southington, CT? Call 24/7 - 800-734-3213