Winter Safety - DeKok Insurance Group, Inc.

How to Help Identify & Remove Ice Dams

February 14, 2019 By Jon DeKok

Joy and I recently had an ice dam on our home. This video and post from Travelers (one of the excellent companies I represent) helped me solve the problem before it became a much bigger problem.

Sometimes, even your best efforts to prevent an ice dam may not be enough. Knowing what an ice dam is, how to identify one and how to help remove it is important to protect your roof and home from potential damage during the snowy, winter months.

What Is an Ice Dam?

Ice dams may form when water from melting snow freezes into ice at the edge of your roofline. Without proper roof snow removal, the ice that develops may grow large enough to prevent water from melting snow from properly draining off the roof. When the water is unable to drain from the roof, it may then back up underneath roof shingles and make its way into your home.

Do You Have an Ice Dam?

Most ice dams develop on the edge of your roof, but they may also form in other locations, depending on the slope, orientation, and style of your roof. Be sure to monitor the weather and your roof for signs of ice dam formations.

Look closely at the icicles around the exterior of your house. If the icicles are confined to the gutters and there is no water trapped behind them, then an ice dam has likely not formed. Nonetheless, icicles can be a precursor to ice dams. Depending on their location and size, icicles may also pose a danger if they fall off. Whenever possible, and if safe to do so, remove icicles from the exterior of your home, making sure not to stand directly beneath them. If you cannot safely reach the icicles from the ground, consider hiring a contractor to assist in their removal.
Check for water stains or moisture in your attic or along the ceiling of exterior walls of your house. Water stains or moisture may be an indication that an ice dam has formed and water has penetrated the roof membrane.

How to Remove an Ice Dam

Removing an ice dam from your roof immediately after spotting the signs can be critical to help prevent damage to your home. One way to remove an ice dam is to melt it using calcium chloride ice melt.

Step 1. Using a roof rake, remove snow 3-4 feet from the edge of your roof, being careful not to damage the roof covering or to allow snow to build up around walking paths or to block emergency exits.

Step 2. Use a calcium chloride ice melt product, which you can generally purchase from your local hardware store. Be sure not to use rock salt or sodium chloride, which can damage your roof.

Step 3. Fill a nylon stocking with the calcium chloride ice melt.

Step 4. Safely place and position the calcium chloride-filled nylon stocking vertically across the ice dam so that it can melt a channel through the ice.

Step 5. Cover and protect any shrubbery and plants with lightweight tarps near the gutters or downspouts for the duration that the calcium chloride stockings remain in place. This is important because the calcium chloride-saturated water dripping from the roof may damage the shrubbery and plants.

REMEMBER: Using a ladder in snowy and icy conditions may be dangerous. If you cannot safely reach the roof, consider hiring a contractor.

Jon

DeKok Insurance Group, Inc. Referral Program: When you tell your family and friends about your positive experience with my agency, and they call for a quote, I’ll send YOU a $20 gift card.

Winter Storms – Be Prepared

February 18, 2014 By Jon DeKok

Winter Storms Ahead: Are You Ready?

It’s already been one of those winters here in Minnesota. We know it can be worse because it has been. In April 2013, broke all previous snowfall records and on May 2, 2013 – it snowed!

Winter storms mean traffic snarls, hillsides turning to sheets of ice, and cars sliding around like hockey pucks. Cold temperatures can cause pipes to burst, frost swells and other damage. Heating your home with fireplaces and holiday lighting can increase the risk of fire.

A picture-perfect winter requires a few precautions. . .

Winter-proof your car with good snow tires or chains, new wiper blades, antifreeze, and emergency road supplies.

Keep your attic cool to help prevent ice dams. Insulate the attic floor and make sure it is well-ventilated.

Do not overload circuits with holiday decorations.

When winter storms hit, be smart. . .

If you do not have to drive, stay put. If you must drive, make sure you’ve winterized your car and have a full tank of gas.

When the air is cold, keep bath and kitchen cabinet doors open so warm air can circulate around pipes. If pipes do freeze, let them thaw normally—they’ll be less likely to burst.

And if the power is out, make sure you avoid leaving candles or fires burning unattended. If you use a portable generator, follow the instructions and do not use it indoors.

Know what your insurance covers. . .

We want to help you rest easy. You will be more relaxed when you know you have prepared your property to lessen the chance of winter storm damage. Your insurance policy covers repair or rebuilding costs. However, your deductible does apply. Check your policy to see what is covered and to confirm the deductible you have chosen.

If you have any questions at all about your coverage, call me at 507-226-8121 or email me at [email protected] and I will help you review your options.

Jon

DeKok Insurance Group, Inc. Referral Program: When you tell your family and friends about your positive experience with my agency, and they call for a quote, I’ll send YOU a $20 gift card.

[tweetthis]Winter Storms Ahead: Are You Ready? #Winter #Minnesota #Insurance[/tweetthis]

Photo purchased from Fotolia and used with permission.

Snow Shoveling Safety

February 6, 2014 By Jon DeKok

Shovel snow safely this winter!

A snowdrift is a beautiful thing – if it doesn’t lie across the path you have to shovel or block the road that leads to your destination. -Hal Borland

Winter is here, and with it comes skiing and snowboarding outings, fireplace-lit living rooms, homemade batches of soup… and shoveling snow. Joy and I enjoy rides through Welch Village and enjoy taking a quick glance at the skiers on the slopes as we drive by. Although the snow is beautiful on our land, the only time it looks like fun is watching people on skis glide down the snow-covered hills. Or in the Winter Olympics.

Our driveway is at least 1/4 of a mile long so I don’t shovel it – I have a John Deere tractor with a snow blower attachment, but there are always paths to shovel for our dogs, and around the house.

For many people in Minnesota, snow shoveling is both a reality and a necessity this winter. You probably already know this stuff, but here’s a reminder from the Boston Herald.

Warm-up! Never jump right into an activity. Start by cleaning off your car.
Place your hands a good distance apart on the shovel – it helps with leverage.
Never bend at your waist.
Push the snow when you can.
Scoop smaller loads of snow.
Use your legs, core and arms to help scoop and throw snow.
Always step in the direction you throw snow to avoid excessive twisting on your lower back.
And for 2 tips not included in the Boston Herald. . .you could ask one of the kids in your life for help!
And, when you get in the house, a big cup of hot chocolate is always a good idea.

I don’t know about you, but the below zero temps, snow, and high winds in January have kept me busy. The great thing about living in Minnesota is that if we wait just a little bit longer, we’ll be mowing the lawn!

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. -John Ruskin

Jon

Email: [email protected]

Phone 507-226-8121

DeKok Insurance Group, Inc. Referral Program: When you tell your family and friends about your positive experience with my agency, and they call for a quote, I’ll send YOU a $20 gift card.

[tweetthis]In #Minnesota, #snow shoveling is both a reality and a necessity this #winter. [/tweetthis]