Coming from February into March, most areas in the US start to warm up and show some glimpses of spring. Depending on how harsh the winter was, can impact how much your property needs to be maintained. Below are 4 parts of your house to check once the weather breaks.
Gutters and Downspouts
It is important to make sure that your gutters and downspouts are free of ice. If they aren’t free of ice, the ice could get to a weight to where a collapsed roof is an option or melt with so much water that flooding between your walls can happen too. This can cause major structural issues and possibly mold. This season has brought record levels of heavy snowfall. Your roof, gutters and spouts could be strained, cracked, bent and covered in debris. This is a good time for a thorough inspection which could be done by a professional if you are not confident in doing it yourself.
Attic
Most of the time your attic is one part of your home or property that does not get checked often. Having any weak spots or leaks in your attic could cause major problems in your home or property. When the snow begins to melt, it could cause major damages to your roof, attic, and ceiling. Newer homes have much higher standards for insulation than older homes. Your attic could have useless items up there such as boxes with holiday ornaments or discarded yearbooks, toys and clothes. Regardless of the the value of the items, any sort of damage could be more devastating to the house more then what is actually in the attic. Insulating your attic and crawl spaces is can help with keeping you home energy efficient in both the winter freeze and the summer bake.
Remove Large Snow Piles
Large snow piles near your home can cause problems when melting. Depending on how your property lays with hills, the water could run off to your home, barn, or any type of structure and cause problems.
Check your Basement
Basements are always the first thing to flood. Once the source of the flooding has stopped or the water source has been turned off, turn off all power sources by switching off the main breaker. Use a pump to remove the water. After the water has been drained, remove everything from the flooded basement and allow it to dry, or discard it.
