How Can Snow Potentially Damage Your Home?

Posted on 10 December, 2021

Have you ever considered the impacts that heavy snowfall could have on your house? Unfortunately, winter weather home damage can cause serious and potentially costly issues if you’re not prepared for the season. Even if you already have an extensive Dayville Home Insurance policy in place, your home may still face the risk of structural or external damage due to harsh, snowy weather. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take now to prepare to mitigate snow house damage from the get-go. Whether or not your area is expecting a snowy winter, here’s what you need to know about how snow can potentially damage your home and what you can do to get ready.

Excess Snow Can Cause Structural Damage to Your Roof and Gutters

One of the major effects that heavy snow can have on your home is causing structural damage to the roof and gutters. If heavy snow piles up on your roof and is not shoveled off in time, it can have a detrimental effect on these core structures. It may even:

Loosen and weaken shingles
Cause water leaks through the roof
Increase the risk of a roof collapse due to the weight of the snow
Weaken and overload your system of gutters
Lead to increased heating and repair bills

Melting Snow Could Lead To Serious Flooding Issues

Beyond roof and gutter damage, another common type of snow-related damage is flooding. Although you may not associate snow with flooding risks, when heavy snow begins to melt, it may get into your home and cause several types of damage, especially if the gutters are not equipped to divert the water elsewhere. In particular, your home may face:

Exterior damage
Damage to interior walls
Basement flooding
Water leaks inside the home

Constantly Snowy Weather Could Cause Aesthetic Issues to the Exterior of Your Home

Finally, there are aesthetic and other relatively minor issues to take into consideration. Cleaning snow off your house immediately after a storm can help you avoid damage to the exterior of the house. This damage could potentially include:

Chipped paint
Cracked seals
Weakened roof tiles
Damaged gutters
Mold in wooden frames

For many homeowners who already have insurance such as Dayville Home Insurance in place, the risk of snow damage may not seem like a major priority. However, even with thorough insurance, your house can still face several external and even structural risks from a winter onslaught of harsh and heavy snow. Thankfully, understanding these risks and taking steps to prepare can go a long way in reducing the risk of serious snow damage to your home. Make sure you’ve secured your roof and gutters before the winter season hits, determine how melting snow can be diverted away from the home and consider potential aesthetic issues to help protect your home from snow damage.

About Byrnes Agency

At Byrnes Agency, we offer insurance solutions that can be tailored to meet your specific needs. Whether you’re looking for personal policies or commercial coverage, we have the right coverage for you. To learn more about our products, contact us today at one of our two locations.

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Dayville Office

Phone: (860) 774-8549

394 Lake Rd

Dayville, CT 06241

United States

info@byrnesagency.com

Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

Norwich Office

Phone: (860) 886-5498

6 Consumers Avenue

Norwich, CT 06360