A Property Owner’s Guide to Preparing for Winter

Winter Prep for Property Owners

Winters are no joke for snow-prone states. With temperatures plummeting and snowstorms likely inevitable, now is the time to start winter-proofing your property. By taking proactive steps, you can save yourself from headaches and costly repairs. Whether you’re a seasoned property owner or new to the fierce winter weather, we’ve collected key tips to help prepare your property. 

1. Inspect and Repair Your Roof

Your roof is your property’s primary shield against winter storms. Any weakness— a missing shingle, loose flashing, or an unnoticed leak—can create a disaster once the snow piles up. Snow and ice build-up adds significant weight to your roof, and if there’s already damage, it increases the risk of leaks or even a roof collapse.

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2. Clear Your Gutters and Downspouts

Falling leaves and debris often clog gutters during the fall, which can become a serious issue during winter. Clogged gutters prevent water from draining properly, leading to ice dams—when water gets trapped and freezes, causing roof damage and leaks.

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3. Protect Your Pipes from Freezing

Frozen pipes are a property owner’s worst nightmare. When water inside pipes freezes, it expands, putting immense pressure on the pipes. This can cause them to burst, leading to water damage, costly repairs, and a long-term headache. The areas most vulnerable to freezing include pipes in unheated spaces like attics, basements, garages, crawl spaces, and exterior walls. With a few proactive measures, you can help keep your pipes safe and flowing smoothly throughout the winter season.

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4. HVAC System Checks

The last thing you want is for your heating system to fail during a deep freeze. Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system will be working overtime as the temperature drops. 

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5. Trim Overhanging Trees

Heavy snow or ice can cause weak or overhanging branches to break, which could cause damage to your roof, siding, or windows.

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6. Seal Windows and Doors

Energy efficiency is critical during the winter season, and even small drafts can cause your heating system to work overtime, leading to higher energy bills. Unsealed windows and doors also allow cold air and moisture to seep in, which can lead to mold growth and wood rot.

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7. Inspect Your Foundation and Exterior Walls

Cracks in your property’s foundation or exterior walls can let cold air and moisture seep in, leading to more severe structural problems when water freezes and expands.

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8. Emergency Preparedness

Review and update your emergency preparedness plan and inform all occupants of what to do during severe weather events this winter. 

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9. Policy Review

Before winter sets in, we recommend reviewing your property insurance policy. Coverage needs can change from year to year, so it’s important to make sure your property stays adequately protected. Our team is here to review your policy so you know of potential gaps in your coverage this winter. Submit your policy for review today!

Get Ready Before the First Snowfall

Preparing your property for winter isn’t just about staying warm—it’s about protecting your investment. By taking the time now to inspect, repair, and winterize your property, you’ll keep your property safe and hopefully prevent costly repairs down the road. Winters are tough, but your property doesn’t have to suffer. 

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The Impact of Hail: Understanding Size, Formation, and Damage

Hail, a type of solid precipitation that forms within thunderstorm updrafts, has fascinated and intimidated humans for centuries. Frequently causing damage to homes, cars, and aircraft, and posing a significant threat to people and livestock, these formidable ice orbs are a spectacle of nature’s power.

From Raindrop to Hailstone: How Hail Forms

Hailstones take birth when ordinary raindrops are lifted by thunderstorm updrafts into the frosty regions of the atmosphere. Here, they freeze and start their journey of growth, colliding with other liquid water drops that freeze onto their surface. This growth process can result in hailstones having layers of clear and cloudy ice, depending on the conditions they encounter during their ascent.

Interestingly, these layers don’t form due to the hailstone going through up and down cycles within the thunderstorm, contrary to popular belief. Thunderstorm winds are not just vertical; they also have a horizontal component that can significantly influence the hailstone’s trajectory and growth.

Gravity’s Pull: How Hail Falls To The Ground

A hailstone’s descent is all about timing and balance. It falls when it becomes too heavy for the thunderstorm’s updraft to support or if the updraft weakens. Smaller hailstones, due to their lightweight, can be blown away from the updraft by horizontal winds. As such, larger hail tends to fall closer to the updraft than smaller hail.

The speed of falling hailstones depends on a plethora of factors: their size, the friction they encounter with the surrounding air, local wind conditions, and even the degree of their melting. The expected fall speed ranges from 9 mph for small hailstones to over 100 mph for those with diameters exceeding 4 inches.

The Geography of Hail: Where it Strikes the Most

Despite Florida being the thunderstorm capital, it’s Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming that often bear the brunt of the most hailstorms. The convergence of these three states forms ‘hail alley,’ averaging seven to nine hail days per year. Other hail hotspots around the globe include China, Russia, India, and northern Italy.

Hailstorms create paths known as hail swaths as the storms move while the hail falls. These swaths can vary from a few acres to an area 10 miles wide and 100 miles long. Some storms churn out a mass of small hail instead of large hailstones, which can create hazardous conditions resembling icy winter roads when covering roadways completely.

Hail Size: From Peas to Grapefruits

According to NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, the largest hailstone recovered in the United States fell in Vivian, South Dakota, on June 23, 2010. It had a massive diameter of 8 inches, a circumference of 18.62 inches, and weighed almost 2 pounds. However, hail sizes vary significantly. They’re often compared to everyday objects for easier estimation:

In the end, it’s crucial to remember the damage potential of hail and take appropriate safety measures during hailstorms. From car windshields to rooftops, and from crop fields to livestock, hail can wreak considerable havoc. Stay informed and stay safe!

 

Water Damage: Categories & Classes

When dealing with water damage, it’s crucial to understand the severity and potential risks involved. Water loss is classified by contamination level. Its class denotes damage extent and evaporation rate. As your trusted public adjusters, we provide crucial information about water loss categories and classes, guiding you through challenges.

Water Loss Categories:

Category 1:

Category 1 water loss is considered the least severe, as it originates from a sanitary water source with minimal health risks if ingested or inhaled. Common examples include broken water supply lines, sink or tub overflows with no contaminants, melting ice, and broken toilet tanks.

Category 2:

Category 2 water loss involves water with contamination, posing a potential risk of illness upon contact or consumption. This type of water may harbor unsafe levels of microorganisms, nutrients, and organic or inorganic matter. For instance, overflows from washing machines, discharge from dishwashers, or toilet bowl overflows can fall into this category.

Category 3:

The most severe category, category 3 water loss, contains highly contaminated water with pathogenic, toxigenic, or harmful agents, such as sewage or floodwater from external sources. It can be caused by events like tropical storms or weather-related disasters.

Water Loss Classes:

Class 1:

As for Class 1 water losses, they impact a limited part of a room or area, or involve larger spaces with minimal moisture absorption. Moreover, this class presents the least amount of water, absorption, and evaporation.

Class 2:

Category 2 water loss, also known as gray water, involves water containing contamination, posing potential health risks. It may harbor unsafe levels of microorganisms, nutrients, and organic or inorganic matter. Examples of this type include overflows from washing machines, discharge from dishwashers or washing machines, and overflows from toilet bowls.

Class 3:

In a class 3 water loss, water may have come from overhead, resulting in saturated ceilings, walls, carpets, insulation, and sub-flooring throughout the entire area. Consequently, this class involves the greatest amount of water.

Class 4:

Class 4 water losses occur when materials with low permeance porosity, such as hardwood, plaster, brick, and concrete, are affected. These cases often have deep pockets of saturation, necessitating longer drying times and specialized methods.

Jimmy Marlow from Action News Jax reported in Jacksonville, Florida that “Regency Square Mall, once a bustling retail destination in the 90s and early 2000s, has now fallen into a state of disrepair. The mall’s roof has caved in, leading to extensive water damage and the spread of mold, raising concerns for both tenants and the local community.” Being proactive when it comes to water damage is imperative. Understanding the categories and classes of water loss is essential for assessing the severity of damage and implementing the appropriate recovery measures. As your premier public adjusting firm, we are here to support you through the challenges of water damage, providing expert guidance and compassionate assistance every step of the way. Together, we’ll navigate the complexities of water loss and ensure we restore your property to its fullest potential.