As Winter Storm Stella bears down on our neighborhood today, here are two quick tips to deal with potential issues from the massive amount of snow.
Leaking Roof Due to Ice Dams
An ice dam is formed when heat from inside your home begins to melt the bottom layer of snow on your roof. As the cold water slows drips down the shingles, it will refreeze as it reaches the eave of the roof. This process slowly repeats over and over until a ice dam forms on the edge of your roof which will eventually cause the retained water to flow over the back of your shingles and into your house.
What starts as a few drips could eventually turn into a stream of water coming through the ceiling or running down walls. If this happens to you, here is a video with some tips to help stop the leak and possibly prevent it in the future.
Keep Your Vents Clear
Deep snow and high winds are a dangerous mix that can cause a build-up on your vents causing your furnace and heat to work intermittently or not at all. One indication might be cold air blowing from your registers. As the furnace tries to light and create heat, the blower fan will kick on, and you will either hear the igniter clicking or even flames burn briefly before failing to stay lit.
Before calling the professionals, check the white PVC air-intake or the exhaust vent on the side or back of your home. If it is blocked – by even just a little bit of ice or snow – the system can stall, either because it will be starved of oxygen, or because its built-in safety mechanism will shut it off. This picture from the blizzard in January of 2016 shows vents blocked by the record snowfall.
