Live in Hudson County? How to Protect Your Home from Winter Storm Damage
11/3/2022 (Permalink)
Live in Hudson County? How to Protect Your Home from Winter Storm Damage
Winter storms will be blistering through very soon and if you’ve lived in the Hudson County area for a few years now, you probably know what can hit you. Although SERVPRO of Hoboken/Union City is not able to deter a storm away from your home, we can tell you how to protect your home from winter storm damage. Get comfortable, grab a blanket, and read on - this could get chilly.
Get Your Heating System Ready
Now is the time to get your furnace serviced, have your fuel oil tank checked, test your thermostats, and check for blocked ventilation. It’s important to ensure that your heating systems are ready for battle prior to the winter weather - especially when it comes to clogged ventilation. If your ventilation system isn’t properly working, this can cause bigger issues such as house fires.
Get Your Fireplace and Chimney Inspected
Getting your fireplace and chimney inspected goes hand-and-hand with checking your heating systems. If you’re more inclined to use your fireplace for heat, make sure it’s free of debris and wildlife. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that chimneys, vents, and fireplaces be inspected at least once a year for your safety and the safety of your home. Have a professional come out and sweep out soot and other debris that could potentially catch fire.
Don’t Heat Your Attic
If possible, try not to heat your attic. This can cause snow and ice to melt into your roof and gutters, followed by re-freezing. If your roof has any cracks or holes, you’ll be looking at a moldy mess in your attic after everything settles (especially if you don’t go up there often). If you use the attic as a living space, make sure to get your roof checked before the winter season, seal any cracks or holes, and make sure your gutters are working properly.
Tree/Tree Branch Removal
If you have dead or dangerous trees close to your home, removing them before the winter hits is the safest decision. Wet, heavy snow can cause branches to fall easily, causing damage to your roof, windows, fencing, etc. If the trees around your home are not healthy, it’s a safer bet to have the full tree removed as opposed to gambling with the chance of it falling and crashing onto your property.
Open Kitchen Cabinets at Night
One trick that works well is opening your kitchen cabinets overnight. The winter brings extremely cold temperatures and one of the best ways to avoid your pipes from freezing is by inviting heat into the cabinets. The heat from inside your home will hug the pipes and help keep the water flowing through them at a reasonable temperature. Allowing your pipes to freeze can cause them to burst, eventually causing water damage.
Let SERVPRO of Hoboken/Union City Help You with Any Winter Storm Damage
At SERVPRO, we can help you recover from water damage resulting from a winter natural disaster. We’ll take care of plumbing leaks, flooding, roof leaks, sewer or toilet backups, fire damage, and much more. If water damage has already resulted in mold and mildew, we have services and skilled personnel that can be of assistance with mold remediation. We hope this blog helped you learn more about how to prepare your New Jersey home for winter storms.
Reach out with any and all of your questions and inquiries: (201) 656-0035
About SERVPRO Team Harvey
SERVPRO of Hoboken/Union City is proudly owned by Lance and Jennifer Harvey - a husband and wife duo that owns three other SERVPRO locations, including SERVPRO of Holmdel/Aberdeen, SERVPRO of West Somerset County, and SERVPRO of Lower Manhattan.
We understand the stress and worry that comes with a fire or water damage and the disruption it causes your home or business. Our goal is to help minimize the interruption to your life and quickly make it “like it never even happened.”