Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Snow and home damage prevention

Snow can cause home damage, this one simple step may help...






Courtesy of Doris Gibbons, Gibbons Insurance Agency with American Family www.DorisGibbons.com

Rooftop snow could spell trouble with ice dams.

Driveways and sidewalks may not be the only things that need clearing after the recent heavy snows in this area. Residents may want to turn their attention to their roofs to prevent home damage caused by ice dams.

Ice dams form when melting snow runs down the slope of the roof and refreezes near the edge. As more snow melts and runs down the roof, water builds up behind the ice dam and seeps into the home, damaging drywall, carpeting and cabinets; and sometimes even collapsing ceilings.

“The recent snowstorms have created conditions that are ideal for ice dams,” says American Family Agent, Doris Gibbons. “The good news is that in some cases homeowners can prevent the situation from becoming a major problem.”

The best approach is to clear snow from the bottom 6 feet of the roof, which allows water from the melted snow to reach the gutters and drain to the ground. This can be done – without climbing on the roof – by using anextendable “roof rake” that can be purchased from a hardware store or homemade. It is not necessary to clear snow from the entire roof.

“Our hope is to nip the problem before it occurs so homeowners can save on the deductible expense they would incur if they did sustain damage and had to file a claim,” Doris says.

Long-term, a key to ice dam prevention is keeping the building’s attic temperature as close as possible to the outside temperature. This means insulating the attic floor and installing adequate ventilation. Peak or roof-mounted vents allow warm air to exit the attic; soffit vents allow cold air to enter the attic. Both types of vents are advised.

Moreover, inspect gutters from the ground to see that they have not pulled away from the structure, and that the gutters slope towards the downspouts. Clean gutters and downspouts to allow unobstructed flow of running water to the ground.


Sunday, February 14, 2010

The farm in the winter



The girls went to visit Ms. Mary and Papoo David at the farm today. If your not from Ohio you might not appreciate the urgent need to for some outdoor family time. Then again, as I watch the news, its freezing in almost every US state this month. Nonetheless, Skylar and Sydney spent some much needed time on the farm. Instead of continuous outdoor activities, except a few horseback riding debuts, Mary had them doing some incredible crafts. Ive attached some pictures of their work in this post. One of the most inventive crafts Mary Herr does is horseshoe art. We display much of her work in our home but she could start her own business with her talent. I hope to post more of her work in upcoming blogs. 

Monday, February 1, 2010

Whats wrong with this picture?


Saw this in a inspectors newsletter today.....had to giggle. Sorry but the rest of the newsletter was very helpful.


A tree grown too close to a house




Can you guess what is wrong with this picture?


A) The paint on the house is chipped

B) The tree is too close to the house

C) The window is too low to the ground

so? Let me know what you think...






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National Property Inspections®
America’s Premier Inspection Service
Jason M. Lapp
(513) 218-6532
npijlapp@cinci.rr.com
npiweb.com/lapp

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