Prepare Your Chatham Home For Autumn

10/27/2024 (Permalink)

It is important to be proactive to protect your Chatham home from water damage.

Autumn in Chatham on Cape Cod is one of our best seasons! There is so much beauty around us as the foliage turns bright and colorful - sometimes even brighter than our signature-green SERVPRO® trucks! But it also brings transitional weather: colder temperatures, the peak months of our hurricane season, and sometimes an early freeze.  While the snow and ice of winter are still, hopefully, further down the calendar the shift from summer heat to cooler autumn weather presents certain seasonal conditions that may impact your home.

Here are some tips to prevent potential water damage:

• Take proactive steps to safeguard your home against water damage from severe storms or hurricanes that may occur in fall. Have the roof inspected for loose or deteriorating shingles. Cut back any limbs vulnerable to breakage during high winds that can damage the roof or walls. Use caulking or spray foam insulation to seal openings in exterior walls such as around vents or other points of entry to the house around pipes or conduits.
• Clean the gutters. Autumn leaves clog gutters and downspouts. When substantial rainfall occurs, gutters overflow and spill water down exterior walls, sometimes penetrating siding and infiltrating wall cavities. Indoor water damage and mold growth can result. Gutters should always be cleaned from a sturdy ladder, not by standing on the roof! Hire a professional if you are not comfortable working from a ladder.
• To prevent exterior water pipes from bursting when the weather gets below freezing, turn off the shut-off valves to exterior faucets. Run the water until the pipes are empty. Make sure all the water is drained from the pipe to prevent it from freezing which can cause it to crack or burst.

Whether you are a homeowner or a property manager, it is important to be proactive to prevent potential damage to your property. Damage may happen but if you use preventative measures, you can possibly help minimize the level of damage and lower the cost to repair or replace your property.

If your home or business experiences any type of water damage call SERVPRO® of Mid-Outer Cape Cod at 508-778-7378.  We are here to help!