Prevention

Defending You and Your Home
from Mother Nature’s Onslaught of Snow

Ah yes, Mother Nature can be the bearer of fun, and she can create times of havoc. The wonderful powder in November brought smiles to many faces, as did the bountiful rainfall earlier in the fall. We might finally break the spell of the drought that has gripped us for most of the past decade–last year’s snowpack was deep, and this year has started off well with an abundance of moisture.

As for the havoc, the recent onslaught of heavy wet snow and rain, not only creates some bad avalanche danger, it can create all sorts of hazardous problems for your house and health.

We all know that wet heavy snow (aka "Sierra Cement") can damage your rails and decking (and your roof if you have an older cabin). I’ve seen decks that were collapsed to the ground from the overload. I’ve also seen houses that have been racked way out of plumb from uneven snow loading on the roof. Some of the more hazardous issues that we’ve seen over the years:

Crushed or buried chimneys and vents (furnaces, water heaters, wall heaters, fireplaces). This can cause a backup of exhaust into the structure and result in carbon monoxide poisoning. Every year, people die from this problem. If you can’t personally dig out your vents and inspect your chimney cap, hire someone –the cost will be worth it! Make sure the direct vents on the sides of your house are above the snow level also–these can easily be encapsulated and cause havoc. One year, over twenty people were sent to the hospital when these vents backed up at a commercial lodge here at Tahoe.

Leaking gas lines or gas meters, due to an overload of snow. We’ve seen houses blow up during the winter from compromised gas piping or meters that leak. (Some may remember the downtown Truckee explosion that killed one person.) Make sure you have an approved shed over your meter and dig out it or your propane tank if you have either one. If you smell any gas odor call 9-1-1, and vacate the area.

Dropped power lines. The heavy snow can pull down the electrical power lines and riser to your house. High winds can also blow trees through power lines. Live power lines on the ground are a definite hazard. Always assume they are charged and keep people away from them. Call 9-1-1 and report the hazard.

Frozen pipes. While not always a "hazard," when the pipes thaw, they can sure wreak havoc with your property, especially if you aren’t there to catch it early and turn the water off. If you leave your house for any length of time (i.e. second homeowners), turn off your water and drain the pipes. Make sure you know where your water main shut-off valve is located, and ensure that it works–old ones don’t always shut off entirely and water can continue to flow. Keep some heat on in your house if you don’t turn off your water and remember, not all heaters work when the power is off.

Slippery roads and walkways. If you have old, bald tires, or worn out, studded tires, get some new treads, or use your chains. If your shoes don’t hold on the ice, use one of the many devices that attach to your shoes to give you better traction. Accidents and falls can hurt, and are usually preventable...need I say more?

The mounds of snow can bury your address--we can’t help you if we can’t find you. Please make sure your house numbers aren’t buried and are easily visible from behind the tall berms of snow.

By the way, if you do have to call 9-1-1, please let the dispatcher know which fire district you’re in--it will help immensely!

Dryer Fires Surpass Chimney Fires in U.S.

Most of us take our clothes dryer for granted: throw in the wet stuff, push the button, wait a bit and the stuff comes out warm and dry.

Unfortunately, dryers cause numerous fires (over 16,000 per 2006 stats) and have led to numerous house fires. The stats that year showed dryer fires led to 16 deaths, about 7500 injuries, and around $195,000,000 in property damage. Wow!

Many of us know about cleaning our chimneys on a periodic basis, however, how many of you check your dryer vent? The #1 cause of dryer fires is a clogged vent. Lint ignites pretty easily, and the venting is certainly not fire-proof.

Your dryer vent should be no longer than 25 feet. If you have elbows and bends, it shouldn’t be more than 15 feet. The plastic or thin foil corrugated vent pipes of yesteryear are not safe–change them out to a smooth metal duct, with no screws or other penetrations that can trap the lint.

Do not put petroleum soaked rags in a dryer as they could cause a fire or explosion.

Yes, modern technology might be more convenient than the old clothesline and pins, however, please take the time to make sure your vent is clean so you don’t end up "drying" your entire house with flames.

Give us a call if you have any questions: 530-525-7548.