How To Prepare Your Home for a Snowstorm

As we move further into the winter season and temperatures plummet, the likelihood of inclement weather and snowstorms increases. These hazardous weather conditions can result in various damages to your home and other structures on your property. Winterizing your home is essential to mitigating risks such as ice dams and falling branches and to ensuring the safety of your home and its occupants.

While snow may look light and fluffy when it falls, it’s often heavy and icy when you try to remove it. On some occasions, you may be treated to snow that feels light even once it’s on the ground or your roof, which makes removal a breeze. Of course, there’s a science behind this! Snow can feel either light or heavy depending on the ratio of snow-to-water. A 10:1 ratio indicates that for every 10 inches of snow, there is 1 inch of water. So, light snow will have a larger ratio of snow-to-water than heavy snow.

For example:

• A 15:1 ratio indicates light snow: 15 inches of snow to 1 inch of water
• A 5:1 ratio indicates heavy snow: 5 inches of snow to 1 inch of water

If temperatures on the ground are warmer, the accumulated snow will partially melt, increasing the water-to-snow ratio and becoming heavier. The snow becomes more dense and has more mass, so therefore it carries more weight. The weight of snow on a roof or surrounding tree branches is what homeowners are usually most concerned about during a snowstorm.

Avoiding Snow-Related Damages

Heavy accumulated snow can put too much weight on your home and surrounding trees, which can lead to costly damages. Before a snowstorm, you’ll want to inspect your home’s exterior and surrounding property. Look for any trees that have broken or weak branches. The weight of accumulated snow can cause them to break and fall, possibly resulting in damage to your home or property.

Before a snowstorm, you’ll also want to check that any exposed pipes or faucets are covered to prevent freezing. Frozen water in pipes can lead to breaking, cracking, or bursting. Using a foam wrap to cover exposed pipes is an easy and inexpensive solution.

When preparing ahead of a large snowfall, you’ll also want to focus on the roof and gutters. Make sure your gutters are clear of leaves or other debris to allow for the passage of water from melting snow. Installing gutter guards is a great way to reduce the amount of debris that collects in your gutters. You’ll also want to make sure downspouts are pointed away from the home. Preparing your gutters is essential to preventing melting snow from pooling on the roof or forming ice dams.

Here at Advance Inc., we are proud to provide quality resources and services to our community and customers. If you’re looking to improve your home’s winter defenses, contact us today. We offer a variety of services and materials to improve insulation and help keep your home protected from the harsh winter elements.