The Washington DC area is struggling to deal with an unprecedented amount of snow and Moss wants to be sure all homeowners take a few important safety measures:
- Stay off of the roof.
- Clean snow off of any exhaust that you can reach from the ground (dryer, water heater, furnace).
- Clean snow away from heat pump.
- Clean snow away from low level windows
- Create a channel to allow water to flow away from the house.
- Knock off any icicles that are reachable from the ground or easily from a window (especially over entry doors).
If water is dripping through a ceiling:
Ceiling leaks are most likely due to an ice dam created by the melting during the day and re-freezing from the extreme cold at night. If you've never had this leak before, it will probably not happen after the thaw. Just catch the water, dry it out, and repair the drywall. Do not go on the roof to attempt a repair.
Some more practical steps that you can take to keep your home safe both inside and out:
- As soon as possible, clear snow and ice from driveways, pathways, and sidewalks. This will help to prevent injuries.
- Clear snow away from fire hydrants, in case of an emergency.
- Make sure your home address is visible from the road.
- Check in on neighbors, especially senior citizens, who may need extra help getting dug out of the storm.
- When shoveling, make sure to warm up, stay hydrated, and dress in layers. Take a break if you feel like you're overexerting yourself.
- If you live in an area where the snow may melt quickly, check to make sure the storm drains near your home are clear from debris. This will help to prevent flooding when the snow melts.
- Try to avoid driving, especially if the roads aren't yet clear, or if they are covered in ice. Staying home is the safest thing you can do.
Want more advice? Here's some from the New York Emergency Management Office, a state that is used to getting these amounts of snow.
Please contact Moss if you have any concerns about your home. We will come out and take a look and if it's not something we can take care of ourselves, we'll get you pointed in the right direction.