Avoiding Snowmelt Damage to Your Twin Cities Home
Each winter brings many snowstorms to Minnesota, covering our homes and yards in a white blanket of snow. While snowfall amounts can vary greatly from year to year, it’s safe to say you’ll have enough snow to shovel at least two or three times a winter – and often much more. If temperatures rise after snow falls, snow will begin to melt, leading to a torrent of water that can flood your property and cause water damage.
Snowmelt is one of the leading causes of water damage to homes in the Twin Cities area. Continue reading to learn more about snowmelt and how you can avoid damage to your property
How Snowmelt Flooding Happens
As soon as temperatures begin to rise above 32ºF, snow will begin to melt. When spring arrives, all remaining snow will melt away but, depending on how warm the air gets, large amounts of snow can melt all at once during winter, too. Due to the common temperature fluctuations of winter in Minnesota, it’s possible for several inches of snow to fall and stick, only for all of it to melt at once a few days later.
Your Twin Cities home may be at a heightened risk of snowmelt flooding due to these factors:
- A lack of adequate drainage systems. In particular, if your gutters are clogged and not flowing properly, snowmelt from your roof can easily flood your foundation and cause water damage.
- Ice dams have accumulated on your roof. The formation of ice dams prevents snowmelt from draining properly, which often results in roof damage and leaks.
- The ground on your property is frozen solid. This will prevent any of the meltwater from seeping into the ground, making it much more likely to flood your home.
- Your home is built on flat ground or in low-lying areas. Properties built atop steep slopes naturally enjoy superior drainage and are at lower risk of snowmelt flooding.
3 Tips for Preventing Snowmelt Flooding
1. Improve Your Drainage Systems
The best way to avoid snowmelt flooding on your Twin Cities property is to improve your existing drainage systems so that they can handle large volumes of water. Start by performing any needed repairs to gutters and downspouts. You should also have gutters and downspouts thoroughly cleaned out before winter to remove possible blockages. Make sure your sump pump is in good working order to prevent snowmelt flooding in your basement. If your property seems to be susceptible to flooding, it’s also a good idea to install a drainage solution in your yard, such as a French drain or a drain tile system.
2. Prevent Ice Dams
Ice dams are often a culprit of snowmelt flooding, since they prevent meltwater from draining off of roofs and into gutters. Just like snowmelt, ice dams become a problem when temperatures fluctuate, resulting in snowmelt refreezing as ice along rooflines. To proactively prevent ice dams from forming, try to clear off as much roof snow as possible after each snowfall using a roof rake. If your home in the Twin Cities does develop an ice dam problem, your best option is to contact a local ice dam removal company to safely remove the ice dams using low-pressure steam. Never try to remove ice dams with chemicals or tools, since this often causes roof damage.
3. Waterproof Your Basement
Since they lie partially or completely below ground level, basements are the most common victims of snowmelt flooding. To protect your basement, keep your sump pump in good working order and keep the basement itself as waterproof as possible. It’s important to seal off any cracks in the walls or floors of your basement using caulk or another waterproof sealant. Make sure that any basement doors or windows have waterproof sealant around their frames as well. A further step to avoid snowmelt flooding in your basement is to shovel fallen snow at least three feet away from the perimeter of your home so that it does not trickle into the basement when it melts.
Do You Need Water Damage Restoration in the Twin Cities?
When snowmelt flooding occurs in your home, water damage is likely to result, and you may need professional assistance to restore your property. Contact Arko Restoration today if you’re in need of professional water damage restoration solutions in the Twin Cities metro area!
