10 Ways to Prepare Your Home for a Snowstorm, According to Experts

Media: BestLife
Link: 10 Ways to Prepare Your Home for a Snowstorm, According to Experts

THESE TIPS ARE NOT THE OBVIOUS PIECES OF ADVICE YOU’RE USED TO.

If you live in an area prone to winter storms (or even if you’re getting a freak snowstorm this year), it’s likely that you know the basics—buy a snow shovel, stock up on non-perishable food and water in the event of a power outage, have plenty of blankets and cold-weather clothing. But even if you’re toasty and well-fed, snow can wreak havoc on your home, from structural issues to plumbing snafus to safety risks. To make sure your dwelling is ready the next time the weather gets dicey, we consulted home improvement and utility experts. Read on to learn their 10 best tips to prepare your home for a snowstorm.

Prevent ice dams.
Check your roof.
Tend to your trees.
Prep your pipes.
Don’t forget about outdoor plumbing.
Guard your yard.
Maintain your chimney flue.
Trap heat.
Have a backup generator.
Install a carbon monoxide detector.

1. Prevent ice dams.

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In an ideal situation, snow melts on your roof and then runs through the gutters to the ground. However, as property emergency services company PuroClean explains to Best Life, when temperatures outside are very low but your attic is warm, “the edge of your roof and gutters stay below freezing and when the melted snow makes its way to the gutters, it freezes.” This then creates an ice dam.

Having a well-insulated attic will help prevent this, as will lowering the temperature at the top of your home ahead of a snowstorm.

Of course, sometimes freezing on the roof is beyond your control. In these instances, Joe Palumbo, president of the Minneapolis-based Ice Dam Guys, suggests having a roof rake or roof broom. They cannot remove an ice dam, but they can help prevent them.

“Both, whether used together or alone, are great tools to remove snow from your roof’s north-facing slopes and gullies where snow and ice dam up. Even if you don’t get ice dams, use one, as it gets the snow off your roof quickly and allows for proper drainage.”