How to Protect Your Home From Snow Damage

During the past week, my neighbourhood saw the heaviest blizzard that this winter season had provided. Schools closed, weather effect icon appeared on media outposts and roads were shut down. Needless to say, many kids were happy for a snow day, but with the temperatures dipping dangerously low I know many people who were forced to accept a snow week! I was thankful that my family and I live in a relatively stable house but it got me wondering. This is when I asked myself the question of “is my house going to survive this?!” Thankfully I still have brick walls and a roof over my head but there is always the risk of damage to your home’s exterior due to a blizzard. Luckily here is a guide on how to protect your house from snow damage.

Check Your Gutters

Think about it, attached to many roofs with just a few bolts are thin, pieces of metal that are constantly being worn down with the daily weather conditions of your area. Now you expect these feeble attachments to hold up against heavy snow and winds racing at the speed of an Olympic bobsled team? As if! Due to the advanced technology that exists in the world of home construction, gutters are quite durable but they still need assistance through maintenance in order to survive. Therefore you should regularly clean out your gutters of leaves, twigs, and anything else that might cause water clogs which disrupt drainage or weakens bolts due to excessive weight. You should clear out your gutters every few months in addition to removing excess snow the day after a blizzard in order to ensure that your gutters properly drain water that runs off of your roof.

Seal Your Basement Windows

One of the primary lessons that are taught in elementary school science classes is that snow is made when water is precipitated while temperatures in the atmosphere are below a certain degree. This being said, when a window, which is meant to be open, is submerged under piles of frozen at the moment water, leaks are bound to happen. You need to remember that the snow will eventually melt and I’m pretty sure that your basement windows do not meet submarine quality material standards. Floods are a common occurrence after a blizzard to make sure that your windows are securely locked as well as sealed around the frames. To conclude, you must securely lock any windows in your house to save them from being ripped open and torn from their hinges due to the harsh, winter wind.

Protect Your Garden

As well as your house, your garden needs to be protected from a blizzard too! This is not just because you wish to venture outside again once you dig your way out your front door, but also because gardens are a useful tool to have that can actually revert water away from your house During a blizzard. There are many components to your garden such as a patio, outdoor furniture, plants, soil, decorations, and more. T

o start off, if you have patio furniture you should cover it with weatherproofed material in order to avoid damage and keep it looking as if they had just been bought at the store. In fact, if you want to go one step further, you can place your furniture inside your garden shed if you happen to have the room for it. That being said, however, you need to protect your garden shed as well. Make sure that your garden shed is firmly placed on level ground and is not near an item that could be knocked over during a storm.

Also, make sure that your garden shed has no cracks for leakage, and has a waterproof ceiling and floor to prevent damage to the items that are inside. In addition, everybody knows that most plants don’t fare well in the cold so make sure to bring whatever plants that you have in your garden indoors if you can as well as wrap up certain large plants that susceptible to frost damage. This would also be the time to inspect your garden for any ill trees or ill tree limbs which could fall and cause damage during a blizzard as you should remove them before this event occurs.