Even if you've lived in the same place your whole life, every winter is a little different. While in most regions it's easy to expect the type of temperatures and weather winter will bring, expecting the unexpected will help keep you and your property safe from damage. So, it's crucial to understand how winter weather can affect your home.
Here are the major ways winter storms can damage your property:
Strong Winds
Wind is a frequent cause of property damage. The most common issue is wind knocking over trees into structures or vehicles. In some extreme cases, wind can even take down utility poles and damage power stations. Though less dramatic, wind can also have a cumulative effect in damaging your roof and by clogging gutters with leaves and debris.
Snow
No matter how much snow your area gets in the winter, it can cause damage in several ways. One major issue is weight. Heavy snow buildup puts pressure on surfaces that aren't prepared for it. Snow can also cause water damage as it melts, leading to leaks, mold and other issues.
Ice
Ice is dangerous for walking and driving, but also for your property. Like snow, ice buildup is incredibly heavy, and can cause structural damage in a lot of ways. One particular concern is trees: ice can bring down limbs and entire trees, which can damage whatever they fall on. Ice accumulation on power lines or other cables can cause risk of breaking under pressure, leading to utility issues.
Heavy Rainfall
If you live somewhere without freezing temperatures, you may still experience a lot of rain in the winter. Heavy rain, especially after a long dry period, can cause flash floods. Flood damage can range from inconvenient to catastrophic depending on the storm, the construction of your home and geographic location. Leaks, mold and foundation damage are all examples of issues rain can cause for your property.
No matter what type of weather you experience during the winter, it never hurts to prepare for extremes. The more you know about the types of damage your property can experience during a storm, the better prepared you'll be to address and prevent any issues that arise.
About the Author
Kimberly Hering
Kimberly Hering's devotion to helping people achieve their real estate goals stems from her genuine enjoyment of the process. Whatever the task, Kimberly makes it her mission to get it done, however she can, without compromising her client's needs. Often, that means thinking outside the box. After working with Kimberly, clients describe her as being Trustworthy, Creative, Patient, Highly Skilled, Attentive to the Process and having a lot of Integrity.
After spending more than 15 successful years working on Wall Street, Kimberly transitioned into Real Estate, joining Alain Pinel Realtors, then moving to Zephyr, now Corcoran Global Living, in 2018. During her career on Wall Street, Kimberly was a Vice President working as an Institutional Equity Salesperson for Montgomery Securities for 10 years. She covered the top money managers throughout the US and Canada. She joined Jefferies & Co as a Senior Vice President managing the Western Region Institutional Sales group, while continuing to cover the top money managers.
Kimberly leverages her extensive experience selling equities to top money managers throughout the US and Canada, to successfully negotiating any Real Estate transaction seamlessly for her clients. Kimberly is well versed in Marin's neighborhoods, towns, cities, and education system.
Living in the Bay Area for 35 years, 25 years in Marin and having 2 sons in local Marin schools, Kimberly spends a lot of time volunteering in the community and serving on various local Boards. Kimberly has a collection of resources ranging from the best local breakfast spots to vetted contractors. With her reliable list of valuable resources, Real Estate experience and unsurpassed knowledge of Marin's many communities, Kimberly can guide her clients through every aspect of a Real Estate transaction seamlessly.
Relocating to Marin, downsizing, upsizing, first time home buying, final home purchase or sale, or a lot to build a dream home, no matter the undertaking, Kimberly works seamlessly until the job at hand is completed with 100% satisfaction.