Common causes of water damage in the northeast.

Before we make like it never happened, you can make it never happen.
The cold is the culprit for most water damage in our region. When big nor'easters come blasting through many times the power is lost. Some times it can be out for days, and you may have to evacuate to another location. This is when a freeze up will occur resulting in burst pipes inside the walls. Before leaving your home if the power is out or if you go on vacation during the winter for more than a couple of days you should do the following.

Turn off water at the main valve that enters your home from the municipal supply, should be next to your water meter, or if on a well turn off pump. To drain the pipes just after the shutoff:

• Next start at the highest point if single story home start at the furthest point away from the meter. open the taps and let the water run keep them open to relieve pressure even after you are gone.
• Flush all toilets and open lid to make sure the water is all drained out.
• Drain the hot water heater down and if gone and no heat for more than a few day is should be drained completely..
• The appliances need to be tended to also, run it on rinse with setting on warm till the water stops and turn it to pump the water out. Run dishwasher also.
• valves on all faucets open to relive pressure and to make sure the drains don't freeze blow them out with an air compressor or if you don't have a compressor use a plunger.
• Last buy propylene glycol antifreeze, and pour it into slowly into sinks, tubs and toilets within your home. Make sure to buy the non-toxic kind, as this will be used inside your home. The link will bring you to goggle search results that will show where it is available and Walmart sells it also. It is a good idea to have some on hand.

Roof leaks and ice dams are the next most preventable reasons to get water damage in your home.

If you find water coming in from an ice dam the best thing to do is call us. We can resolve all the issues quickly. Our parent company Acker Contracting is also owner of HP Roofing. We will remove all the water damage and fix the cause of the issue.
Before water starts to come in your home look for ice build up on the eves and edge of the roof and in gullies and places where the roof meets dormers or other parts of the roof. Bad and worn flashing is the reason water works its way under the shingles and into the building. HP Roofing can come and evaluate your roof to determine of you need to repair the vulnerable parts of your roof to ice dams.