Snow Damage & Ice Damming

Snow Damage Services & Ice Damming Services

Covering the entire states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Washington DC, and Virginia with Snow Damage Restoration. Having offices in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Freehold, and Washington DC.

Many homes and businesses have some type of water damage policy covering water damages such as toilet over flows water heater busts, pipe bursts and flooding. What most homeowners and property owners don’t realize is that snow damage and ice damming may or may not be covered under their policies.

Roof Damage From Snow

Snow Damage creates different issues depending where the snow has landed. Snow covered roofs are usually the first concern of most property owners. Many homeowners  in snow effected areas have slanted or pitched roofs that create a difficult platform for snow to land on. But when roof surfaces are cold enough, snow will land on roofs creating water damage situations.

The weight of the snow especially if it’s heavy snow can create structural issues. Many roofs have caved in due to excessive snow. Trees themselves can hold only so much snow until the tree falls on a roof. Many homeowners have walked into their homes to see branches of trees in their living rooms.

In the winter there are sometimes drastic changes in the temperature going from below freezing to above freezing temperatures. This creates snow to melt into the colder eaves and gutters that creates ice. Over a few days the ice builds up and creates what is called ice damming. These “dams” prevent water to flow through the gutters or off the roof. The water has no place to go but into the house or building.

It is very difficult and dangerous for homeowners to prevent snow damage and ice damming from happening. The best solution is to remove the snow as quickly as possible off the roof. This is especially recommended for commercial roofs which are flat and easily collect melted snow and pools of water. As long as the snow isn’t blowing, the best suggestion is to find a contractor to “ knock “ off the snow to prevent water damage issues. This process may cost more than you think due to the difficulty, but if your roof is older or has had issues in the past, removing the snow may be a cheaper alternative than crossing your fingers and hoping water damage doesn’t happen.

Don’t be surprised when your insurance company denies your claim after snow damages your roof. As crazy as it sounds, some insurance companies require that you inspect your roof annually to make sure that your roof won’t leak. The insurance companies consider this a maintenance requirement. Now ice damming doesn’t usually fall under maintenance due to the fact that you do not have control of the constant melting and refreezing of the snow on your roof.

The first signs of snow damage on your roof will be either water flowing from your ceiling or water stains. As soon as water or water stains appear you should perform some type of clean up and remediation . Many homeowners and property owners wait for multiple water stains to appear or for the winter to be over before making an insurance claim. Waiting offers the insurance company to deny your claim.

To prevent further damage including mold damage and mold growth, immediate action and correct action must be taken as the snow melts on the roof or when ice damming occurs. In most situations the snow will still be melting when you see the water damage. The first thing to do is create small holes to let the water out. Even if no water is running out, it will let air movement into the ceiling cavity or wall cavity. As the snow and ice melt at least you have given the water somewhere to go besides absorbing into the walls and ceilings. Even if you can’t find a IICRC certified water damage restoration contractor to come out immediately, you have shown the insurance company that you have tried your best to stop the damage from getting worse. In the insurance industry we call this mitigating the damage.

Either after the snow has melted off the roof or while it’s still melting using industry carpet fans and commercial dehumidifiers which can be used to dry the wet walls and ceilings to prevent further snow damage and possible mold. If you do the drying yourself, you will save money, but in the long run create more expense. Although using your hands to feel the walls and ceilings are dry doesn’t help when inside the walls and ceilings may still be wet. Rafters, insulation and roof sheathing ( the plywood on the inside of the roof ) in many case are still wet. Hiring a IICRC certified and experienced snow damage contractor may be your best bet, in making sure that everything is dry. They use ( they should ) highly sensitive moisture meters and having specialized probes that reach areas most home owners and commercial property managers can not get too. Not testing correctly may be an opportunity for miss pockets of wet areas and a great place for mold to grow.

Basement Snow Damage

Roofs are not the only places that can get snow damage. Basement water damage can be caused by snow. Water can find the smallest entry ways, even the most tight sealed home can eventually create cracks letting snow melted water, damaging basement walls and flooding basements.

Commercial Roof Snow Damage Issues

Ask your roofing contractor these questions before the next big snow storm comes:

Can my building withstand large snow or ice accumulations? 

  1. Make sure your roof contractor has actually done weight measurements and load requirements studies to determine what the roof can handle during large snow storms. Additional weight may have been added such as a new HVAC system or heavier roofing materials making it harder for your roof to handle large amounts of snow. Sometimes roof signs may also be added to the roof.
  2. Inspect the roof drainage systems as instructed by a roofing professional. Ice damming is a major issue and creates water damage inside the building.
  3. Find out which contractors will come out during a snow storm to remove snow off the roof.
  4. Purchase tarps for inside equipment and furniture.
  5. Decide how to remove the snow off your roof. Pushing all the snow to one side of the roof may create a larger issue and possible cave in due to piling up the snow.

Snow Damage is usually over looked as a major issue for homes and buildings. Good planning now and understanding what your insurance policy covers and doesn’t cover will create a better situation when a big snow storm hits next!

Although we cover the entire states, some of the major cities covered are:

SI Restoration provides Snow Damage services to Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Washington DC, and Virginia.

If you have any questions about snow damage or any of our other services, please call us at the number above or use the contact form below for non-emergency issues.

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