With a fresh blanket of snow covering the ground, or more importantly roofs, and the first cold snaps settling in, the Kenai Fire Department has some helpful tips for keeping your home protected against common winter disasters this year.
One of the biggest concerns people face every year during the winter months is roof security. Kenai Fire Marshal Jeremy Hamilton says there are a few tell-tale signs to look for that may suggest your roof’s integrity has been compromised by too much snow and ice.
“Things you want to look at is [if] you hear some cracking and popping that’s kind of unusual, especially if it’s been cold for a long period of time,” said Hamilton. “So, if you start to hear some creaking and popping that doesn’t sound quite right, check out your trusses, [and] make sure you don’t have cracked trusses. If your doors are getting jammed up or they’re not wanting to latch, that could be a sign of your house getting overloaded.”
On Dec. 20 in Anchorage a Spenard Building Supply dispatch center was destroyed when its roof collapsed. And more recently, a commercial warehouse building in Seward suffered a partial roof collapse, prompting the Seward Fire Department also to put together a list of potential signs of a failing roof:
- Sagging roofs
- Severe roof leaks
- Cracked or split wood members
- Bends or ripples in supports
- Cracks in any walls, ceilings or masonry
- Sheared off screws from steel frames
- Doors that pop open
- Doors or windows that are difficult to open
- Bowed utility pipes or conduit
- Creaking, cracking or popping sounds
Hamilton also added that snow loads alone are not the sole culprit for compromised roofs. “And some other things, not necessarily to snow loads, but just general. You can get ice damming on along the edge of the ends of your roof, and that could cause some excessive loading. And things [to] look for like that as maybe [you] have water leaking on your exterior walls, just kind of bubbles in your paint or water coming out of your outlets. That’s not a that’s not a normal thing. So that’s some of the stuff to look for.”
As 2023 draws to a close, have a Happy Holiday season and follow these tips to keep your family safe and make sure your home is not at risk of an unexpected roof collapse.
*Feature photo courtesy of Seward Volunteer Fire Department