Winter Weather in Wisconsin

2/21/2019 (Permalink)

If you’re a Northeast Wisconsinite we don’t have to tell you the weather this winter has been a bit, shall we say, crazy?

We’ve experienced snow storms one day, sub zero temps the next, temperatures rising to the forties, snow melting, freezing and falling again. It’s enough to make your head spin!

February has been particularly bad in terms of snow storms. It’s as if we barely shovel out from one storm and the next has already begun.

While Wisconsinites are no strangers to the season, the wintry weather can pose serious challenges to your home or business. Your property can be damaged by the heavy snow, winds and water that come with the rapid changes in weather.

This blog contains a few reminders about the hazards of the season and what you can do to prevent any damage.

First off, frozen, bursting pipes are a big concern as temperatures rise and fall rapidly. Pipes are likely to freeze when the temperatures drop below 20 degrees and Team SERVPRO of West Brown County has answered MANY calls for flooding thanks to frozen pipes over the last few weeks.

Pipes are more likely to freeze if they are not insulated and if they are in colder areas of your home or business, like the basement, or even outside.

Outdoor pipes most likely to freeze include:

• Outdoor hose bibs
• Swimming pool supply lines
• Water sprinkler lines

Pipes in unheated or partially heated areas are also at risk of freezing, including:

• Basements
• Crawl spaces
• Garages

So, now is the time to make sure you’re keeping those pipes warm, running water through them or insulating them if need-be. If you notice water pressure dropping, that’s a sign a pipe is in trouble. Take care of it immediately, because the damage a burst pipe causes can be very serious.

We’ve also warned you about ice dams and now is a good time to remind you about those. Ice dams form on your roof when snow melts on your warmer attic and then freezes on your colder gutters and eaves. Those frozen dams can damage your roof and gutters and/or push water into your home, causing flood damage.

One good way to prevent ice dams is to use a snow rake to pull ice and snow off your roof before it has the chance to cause any damage.

That brings us to our third reminder, snow itself can simply become too heavy as it builds up and cause your roof to crack, lose shingles, or even collapse.

A snow raking will help prevent this too!

Some winter storms come with high winds, which can obviously pose problems to your properties. Whether the wind causes direct damage to your home or business, or sends debris like tree limbs into your home or business, there is the potential for issues there.

And finally, when the temperatures rise again, all the snow we’ve gotten (and continue to get!) will melt and that extra water has to go somewhere. Six inches of snow will create about one inch of water once melted and that can cause trouble.

The excess water can make lakes and rivers rise, which can cause flooding. The water can also make its way into your basement all on its own.

So, now is a good time to make sure your sump pump is working. You can also work to clear the snow from around your foundation before it melts and make sure your gutters are clear and draining away from your home or business!

Team SERVPRO of West Brown County cleaned up a lot of flooded basements in the Green Bay area when we had those few days of rain and snowmelt a few weeks back. We know how fast damage can happen, so if you can take a few steps to prevent that damage, it’s definitely a good idea.

However, if something goes wrong and you need our help thanks to old man winter, we are here for you. Call us 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 920-434-8224.