How Snow Can Cause Water Damage to Your Property

In Montana, snow is, unfortunately, inevitable. And snow removal is an essential winter service at your home, business, and any commercial or residential properties you may own or manage. But how you or your vendor manages this process can be critical to preventing water damage. How can snow and snow removal cause damage, and more importantly, how can the damage be fixed?

How Snow Can Damage Your Property

Snow weighs around 20 pounds per cubic foot. Think about how much weight that can be on your roofs or awnings. While roofs and awnings are strong, the pressure from the weight of all of that snow can push down and cause collapse. The cracks and crevices from that damage, as well as from surrounding windows and doors, can cause snow and ice to seep in and cause both seen and unseen damage.

As a business owner, sometimes this damage can move into surrounding offices or apartments. Imagine the cost of having to fix the result of snow and ice coming into those spaces. Moreover, the eventual mold and mildew can quickly move from one area to another, causing even further damage.

And it’s not just snow that can cause significant damage, however. As the temperature drops, ice can build up causing dams that can block your gutters and downspouts. As the dams build up, they may not have adequate drainage. This can cause melted ice to get into your home.

The presence of cold weather can also freeze your pipes. It takes 24 hours or less of freezing temperatures for your pipes to succumb and the water sitting inside of them to freeze. And those pipes can build up pressure with nowhere to go, causing leaks and bursts. All of that water can be a mess to clean up and may need a professional to get it done and get it done right.

Damage from Snow Removal Services

Using a skilled, experienced vendor to remove snow at your home or business is important. They can help with getting snow off of your roof: It’s important to get as much snow off of your roof as possible, as the weight can cause a lot of damage to the structure of the home or building.

And many times, when you remove the snow, it builds up on the sides of your home or business and can still seep into the ground and get into the cracks and crevices of your lower level. If your home or business smells musty, contact us immediately, as mold growth can start in as little as 24 hours.

Frozen soil can also be an issue. As the soil freezes, ice and snow can pool up in the soil and seep into your foundation. Water in the cracks can cause further damage. And did you know that mold still grows in the winter? All the trapped airflow and increased moisture is a breeding ground for mold to continue growing.

How Alpha Omega Can Help

While the Montana winters can be brutal, getting help for any water damage or mold removal quickly is crucial. As the snow continues to melt, or as it continues to come down, contact us with any concerns. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are ready to give you peace of mind if any damage occurs. And with any mold growth, you can count on us to get rid of it and help keep you and your family safe.

The experts at Alpha Omega Disaster Restoration are located in Billings, but their large crews can travel and are ready to handle all of the challenges that the climate changes in Montana have to offer. We’re ready to serve you in Billinngs, Billings West End, Billings Heights, Laurel, Red Lodge. We work with your insurance company and offer competitive pricing. Our expert technicians have the right tools and skills to get it done right the first time.