Don’t Let A Frozen/Burst Pipe or Ice Water Backup Cause You Winter Woes

Winter in the Northeast means harsh weather conditions on a regular basis. If you’re seasoned to the cold, you may already know useful measures to prevent or lessen the potential damage to your home or business property brought on by freezing temperatures and sudden winter storms.

For instance, depending on when your house or business property was built, all it may take is two feet of snow to cause a ceiling to sink, walls to crack, or a complete collapse.

Perhaps less obvious to detect is the formation of ice dams on your roof. This usually happens after a heavy snowfall when a warm attic causes snow to melt and drip to the colder edges of your roof, which then freezes into a mound of ice that traps meltwater underneath it. With nowhere to run off, this meltwater can then seep beneath your shingles, drip through, and stain and rot ceilings and walls.

The key is to keep your roof cold. Considering that about one-third of heat loss is through the ceiling, head up to the attic and check for air leaks coming from gaps and cracks in walls, fixtures, access hatches, and even the chimney. If you detect leaks, plug them with foam or other professionally recommended methods.

Water damage doesn’t just come from the roof, though. Do you know how to prevent a frozen and burst pipe? For those unbearably cold days especially:

• Make sure exposed indoor pipes are covered with foam insulation.
• If sink pipes are near an outdoor-facing wall, open the cabinet to let in heat from your home or office.
• Leave a faucet on a slow drip to keep water flowing in the pipes.

Water damage from a burst pipe can cause staining to your ceilings, walls, and floors. It can ruin electrical systems and lead to possible mold growth if not addressed immediately.

What if your home or business property suffers collapse, water damage, or other winter storm damage? Your insurance company will have its own team looking out for its interests from your claim. Shouldn’t you have a team of professionals, too?

Our expert public adjusters are property insurance professionals who work only for your interests. On your behalf, we conduct an accurate damage assessment, document it completely, and present your claim to your insurance company to get you the maximum amount to recover sooner.

In a time of kicking off the new year, we save you time and lower your stress by lifting the burden and handling every step of the insurance claim process. Contact Adjusters International/Basloe, Levin & Cuccaro for help with your claim today!