Win­ter Tips for Your Home

Snow on the roof and icicles

Overhangs and icicles often form on roofs, which can be dangerous. Snow and ice have fallen on people and even caused injuries. It is therefore important to take action and try to clear the snow and break up the icicles. Never let children sleep in a baby carriage directly under a sloping roof if there is a lot of snow on the roof. Snow and ice chunks can also cause damage to vehicles if they are parked directly under a roof. Care must be taken when cleaning roofs and it is better to let professionals with a crane vehicle handle the task instead of risking ourselves.

• Keep an eye out for icicles at entrances and walking paths. Break them if you can. Remember to take care

• Do not let children sleep in a baby carriage under a roof with snow or icicles.

• Do not park vehicles directly under large icicles.

• A heating element in the gutter can prevent the formation of icicles.

Prevention of icy conditions around the house and entrance

If we don't shovel the snow away or melt it in time, it will compact, get wet, freeze, and become icy. It is important to have salt to dissolve the ice at entrances or sand to improve grip. Walk carefully on icy ground. A good tip is to walk like a penguin, take short steps, lean forward a little, and put your hands out. If the ice has turned clear and you’re barely able to stand in the driveway, there is nothing to do but put on your crampons.

• Shovel, salt, and sand at entrances and the parking lot.

• Walk carefully on ice ground. Sometimes you must walk like a penguin.

• Wear good shoes and crampons in the iciest conditions.

At its worst, over 100 people need to seek help at the emergency room or healthcare centre daily due to slip-and-fall accidents. A thaw is when significant warming and precipitation follows periods of frost and snow. Then the snow melts with the associated water flow, and where it does not melt, it becomes very slippery. There is a high risk of accidents under these circumstances, as well as water damage as drains can’t handle the load. There are many things that can be done to prevent damage, and below we will discuss some important points.

Water damage due to precipitation

If drainage pipes and drains can’t handle the load, the water will seek the next lowest point, which could be the ground floor, a window, or the basement of a house. Take measures and ensure that the water flows into open drains. Loss or damage caused by external water from roofs, balconies, or drainage pipes are not covered by homeowner insurance, so it is important to shovel snow off balconies and clear gutters and drains. There have been some instances in recent years of deep puddles on roads forming during thaw causing damage to electric car batteries. If possible, drivers should drive past them or drive very slowly if there is no other option. In fact, this rule applies to all cars.

• Shovel snow from balconies, basement steps, and entrances in general.

• Clear the drains and salt them.

• Drive carefully over puddles that form on the streets.

• Drive carefully when the roads dry out, as there are often deep potholes on the roads.

Freezing damage

There are many things to consider regarding frost. Special attention must be paid to water pipes as water expands in frost and can burst pipes. Utilities frames, taps on the outside of houses, and water pipes in garden sheds and garages where heat does not retain well need to be inspected. Frost also affects batteries, as most people know, and batteries wear out faster.

• Have your utilities frame inspected regularly.

• Shut off garden taps and outdoor taps.

• In some cases, it is good to use antifreeze.

• Ensure that windows, doors, and windowsills are sealed to prevent heat loss.

• Watch the weather report.