Seasonal Risks to Your Home

Winter, spring, summer, fall—each season has its characteristic weather, clothing, sports, and hobbies. It’s also true that each season brings its own risks to your home. As you welcome every change through the year, keep an eye out for these hazards as well.

Winter

If you live in an area where the temperatures drop precipitously in the winter months, you probably know to look out for icy sidewalks and frozen pipes. But do you know what your roof snow load measurement is? Heavy snowfall can do more than just cover up your car and fill your days with shoveling. It can actually put your roof at risk. As that mass of frozen water melts, it may also create a flooding risk around the base of your home and on any weak spots in your roof.

Spring and Summer

Hurricane-level rain and wind make the news for the damage they can do to houses. But if you live in a floodplain or other area where water rises quickly, it may not take a Weather-Channel-extravaganza level of precipitation to do your home harm. Wind doesn’t have to be significant enough to pick up your structure and whisk it to Oz to loosen your shingles or tear gutters off their perches. Keep an eye out for trouble spots so a small problem doesn’t become a huge one. And while trees are blooming and flourishing, beware of those tree roots—they can infiltrate sewers and cause plumbing backups.

Fall

Trees can also pose problems when those lovely leaves turn colors and fall gently to the ground … or into your gutters, where they can clog things and cause damage to your roof. Check regularly, sweep them out, and repair as needed.

With a little attention, you can relax and enjoy the seasons instead of worrying how much they’re going to cost you in home repairs and renovations.