How to prevent damage that is caused by force of nature?
Force of nature may cover various accidents.
- A roof may collapse under snow.
- Side-snowing, snow entering the attic, a strong snowstorm or a thaw may damage the walls of a building from inside and outside.
- Slippery, non-gritted roads may cause broken bones if you fall over, and this may lead to even worse consequences.
How do you prevent snow and frost damage?
Try to remove most of the snow from the roofs of houses and terraces. If there is snow in the attic it must be removed before it thaws.
In the case of a more rapid thaw, most of the snow must be removed from roofs because the snow might start to move and take snow barriers and gutters with it. Remove snow and icicles from the roof because they may fall on people passing by. Pavements must also be cleared of ice and snow.
Snow barriers can be placed on roofs in order to prevent the snow from falling onto the pavement below. In addition to this, it is possible to install a heating cable in rainwater pipes and gutters in order to prevent them from clogging up with ice and snow.
Preventing snow damage
A strong winter storm may cause a lot of damage to a building. As a result of high winds some roof tiles on the roof may come loose.
A tree which is uprooted by a storm may fall onto a building. Storm winds may enter a building through unlocked doors, open windows or roof hatches. Therefore, close any roof hatches and windows and lock the doors when a storm is expected.
Check the following:
- that all roof structures are in order and fully sealed
- that roof covering material is installed according to the requirements
- that door and window shutters are properly closed
- that there are no large trees near the house which may endanger the house if they happen to be uprooted.
