Dangers of Heavy, Wet Snow

As we brace for the remaining storms of the winter season, here are some of the dangers of heavy and wet snowfall.

Downed Trees and Power Lines – Heavy, wet snow puts extra stress on trees and may cause branches to break, knocking out power lines or potentially damaging your property.

Power Outages – Being without power for an extended period can be bad, just ask anyone in Texas. Make sure you have a plan for backup power and remember to never run generators indoors.

Roof Damage or Collapse – Significant amounts of wet snow can overload roof structures and cause sagging or in extreme cases, collapse. Call in the professionals to remove excess snow, it’s just too dangerous if you don’t follow safety precautions or have the proper equipment.

Is your roof in danger? Know these risk factors:

• Age (buildings built before 1977 are more at risk)
• Size (buildings over 5,000 sq. ft. are more at risk)
• Roofs that are flat or have low angle slopes or peaks
• Roofs with elevation changes are perfect areas for snowdrift accumulation
• Snow accumulation of more than 12 inches