4 Winter Hazards that Cause Water Damage Winter Hazards When we think about water damage in our home, the common issues are generally water leaks and blocked drains perhaps due to flooding from excess rainfall. One factor we often don’t consider is that winter hazards can also cause water damage as well as other structural damage to your property. Roof Ice Dams Do you notice icicles hanging from the eaves of your roof? This could be a sign of ice dams on your roof. Having ice dams on your roof can cause severe water damage and even mold build up on your roof. While there are a number of temporary solutions to get the water to run off into the drains, it is better to look at a long term solution to the problem where possible. The ice dams actually push water up your roof and under the shingles, allowing water to penetrate through into your home. This results in water damage and if left unchecked, especially in your warm, moist home during winter periods, you could end up with a lot of mold causing stains, bad smells and even health hazards in your home. If you end up with water damage due to ice dams, a professional water damage restoration company will be able to help you resolve the water damage issue and advise you on preventative measures. Pipes Bursting Outdoor piping and uninsulated pipes running through the attic and crawl spaces can burst when the weather turns really cold. These burst pipes can result in a lot of water damage in your home. You need to insure that your pipes are insulated in order to reduce the risk of severe floods throughout your home. Wind damage Trees too close to the house can break shingles when they are blown about in high winds. You can also lose shingles due to the wind simply blowing them off or causing breakages. It doesn’t take much damage to the shingles to allow in a lot of rain or snow into your home. This results in water damage and worse if not taking care of as soon as possible. Melting Snow Snow can cause damage to your roof, your basement, flooding into the crawl space and even the actual foundation of the home. If you do not have a system in place to make the water from melting snow run away from your home, you could end up with a lot of water flowing into your home, pooling around the foundation and flooding into crawlspaces and basements. This can cause a lot of water and even structural damage to your property. If your area is prone to high snow fall, it is often best to install drainage that draws the water away from the home long before the bad weather begins. If you do end up with water damage and mold build up due to winter hazards causing water to enter your home, it is often best to bring in a water damage restoration company to ensure all the water is dried up and the mold is removed. They can also advise you on insulation and other aspects you can look at to prevent damage to your home in winter due to weather hazards associated with harsh, cold weather conditions.