Preparing for a Cold Winter | SERVPRO® of Rapid City

11/23/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Rapid City is your local restoration expert. Contact us today if you experience any storm damage.

Winter is approaching rapidly in South Dakota. If you’re like most people in Rapid City and beyond, it’s time to start thinking about how to deal with colder weather, snow and ice.

Consider protecting your home before the winter weather starts getting severe. If you’re like most Americans, your home is your family’s most substantial investment. Taking steps to keep your home and family safe from common winter hazards protects that investment.

If you start protecting your home now, you can stop small issues before becoming bigger problems that cause water and storm damage to your home.

Doing it easier than you might expect. You can take the five steps experts recommend when you’re getting your home ready for winter. You can do most of them in a weekend.

Find and seal spaces in your home where air leaks happen. Not only is this better for your home, but it also helps protect you from sticker shock due to high winter heating bills.

Inspect out and insulate your pipes. Busted pipes are one of the main causes of water damage in homes. By replacing faulty pipes and insulating your plumbing, you can prevent your pipes from freezing.

Repair and replace roof tiles, shutters, siding and other exterior elements. Cold air and water can seep in through a variety of surfaces. While the cold air drives high heating bills, water can do significant damage to your home.

Clean your gutters. Removing leaves and fall debris that could freeze or cause water issues during a rainy winter protects your home.

Trim back any branches that are overhanging your home. The weight of snow and ice can cause branches to snap and break. If any of them are hanging over your roof when it happens, they can damage your home.

General Winter Home Safety Tips

Power outages are common during ice storms and blizzards. The CDC offers some tips that can help you stay warm and safe at home.

Be smart with your generator. If you use a generator, put a battery-operated carbon monoxide monitor in your home. It protects your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Use space heaters the right way. Choose a space heater with an automatic shut-off switch. Also, be sure to place space heaters away from fabric (like furniture and curtains).

If you can, use flashlights at home instead of candles. Candles can cause fires if they’re left burning or topple over. That’s why it’s always safer to keep flashlights on in case the power goes out.

We’re Here to Help

If a busted pipe, leaky gutter or other winter storm hazard damages your home, our team is here to help you restore your home.

You can get in touch with us ²⁴⁄₇. We’re here if you need anything or if you want to learn more about the services we offer.