Recent Storm Damage Posts

Storm and Wind Damage

6/29/2022 (Permalink)

tree fallen on pole barn and truck A tree blown over caused damage to a pole barn and truck.

With summer upon us thunderstorms can not only bring water damage to homes, it can also bring wind damage. Damage from severe thunderstorm winds account for half of all severe reports in the lower 48 states and is more common than damage from tornadoes.

Below are some steps to take if your home is damaged by wind.

Documenting Damage:

  • Call and report your damage to your insurance company.
  • From a safe location, take pictures of any damage.
  • Inventory any belongings that may have been destroyed or damaged, noting the brand, price, age, etc.
  • If you have pictures of your home before the damage, include them with your insurance claim.

Preventing Further Damage:

  • If you suspect possible structural, electrical or gas-leak hazards, shut off electrical power, natural gas and propane tanks to avoid fire, electrocution or explosions.
  • Cover broken windows and doors with tarps, heavy plastic or plywood to prevent further damage. Save repair receipts for reimbursement. 

Repairs and Cleanup:

  • Don’t start permanent, major repairs or renovations until your property has been inspected by an insurance representative.
  • If your roof needs to be replaced, hire a professional roofing contractor who is licensed and insured.
  • Fallen trees or large branches also are best removed by a professional tree service. This service may be covered depending on your policy coverage.

If your home suffers wind damage, please contact SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County at (440) 324-2620 for any board up, tarp up, tree removal, or roof replacement services.

Unexpected Summer Storms

6/29/2022 (Permalink)

flooded basement hallway The flooded hallway in this Cleveland home was caused by a recent storm.

It's official, summer is FINALLY here! It's the time of the year that we have all been waiting for. It's a time for us to be outside, enjoy the sunshine and get ourselves a nice tan. But we always forget that summer also brings us storms, which means rain! Bummer!

You have probably already noticed that our forecast lately has a lot rain in the future. Does the upcoming rain make you think about your home? Probably not, you're too busy waiting for the rain to go away so you can get back outside again. But you should be thinking about your home especially with the upcoming storms we may have this summer.

Thinking about your home and the rain, you should have SERVPRO in the back of your mind! Our SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County Team is here for all of your water damage needs. Our Team follows IICRC Standards when restoring your home after a storm.

Here at SERVPRO we are prepared for any upcoming storm even though you may not be. We have a 24-7 on-call technician available for you, even in the early morning hours. We are ready to address your next residential disaster and send a crew right out to you. We want to get a crew out to you quickly, we don't like to wait around, that causes secondary damages to your home which means more downtime. No fun!

SERVPRO is prepared for the unexpected! That's our business and we love it! SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County is always here to help. Call us today at (440) 324-2620!

What To Do After A Tree Falls On Your House

6/23/2022 (Permalink)

tree fallen on house A tree fell on this local home and damaged the roof. Luckily our SERVPRO Team came to the rescue!

When a tree falls on your roof, it not only damages your home’s structure, but it also exposes the inside of your home to outside elements. During certain times of the year, our SERVPRO Team gets a mass amount of calls from customers who have had trees fall on their roof and are unsure of what to do. It’s not a quick process, but there are a few steps you can take!

  1. Remove the tree. This might seem like an obvious first step, but we’ve had countless calls from customers who haven’t even removed the tree. Until the damaged area of your roof has been cleared, it can’t be covered. We recommend calling your local tree removal company.
  1. Tarp exposed areas. Unless you’re lucky, a fallen tree will likely cause damage to your roof, generally leaving it exposed. To ensure outside elements don’t get in and cause more damage to the inside of your home, you should have the affected area tarped.
  1. Contact your local SERVPRO Team. The tarp is only a temporary solution! After the damaged area is tarped, our SERVPRO Team will discuss next step repairs with you. If a storm hits before the affected area is properly tarped, you will most likely have water damage affecting the interior of your home. Our SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County Team can not only handle your water disaster but also fix your damaged structure of your home!

A fallen tree can cause a lot of damage and create a headache for you, but with the above steps, you can get your life back on track. If your home is damaged by a fallen tree, call our SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County Team today! We are available 24/7 to make it “Like it never even happened.”

Classes of Damage

6/22/2022 (Permalink)

water damaged basement Our SERVPRO technicians are trained handle any size and any class disaster!

If you have ever endured storm damage to your Cleveland home, SERVPRO is here to help.  Our employees are trained and certified by the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) to ensure that the technicians have the expertise in restoring your home. 

In cases where there is flood damage to your home, the IICRC categorizes four different classes of destruction as follows:

  • Class 1:  The lowest and easiest to deal with, this has a slow evaporation rate. Only part of a room or area was affected, there is little or no wet carpet, and the moisture has only affected materials with a low permeance rate, such as plywood or concrete.
  • Class 2:  With a fast evaporation rate, this level affects an entire room, carpeting, or cushioning, the wetness has wicked up the walls at least 12”, and there is moisture remaining in structural materials.
  • Class 3:  This class has the fastest evaporation rate, and ceilings, walls, insulation, carpet and sub-floors are all saturated. The liquid may have come from overhead. 
  • Class 4:  This class is labeled as specialty drying situations, which means there has been enough liquid and time to saturate materials with very low permeance, such as hardwood, brick, or stone.

If your home is ever in need of restoration services from flood damage, call SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County at 440-324-2620.

Does Your Insurance Policy Have You Covered?

6/7/2022 (Permalink)

storm damaged home SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County is prepared for the unexpected!

Bad weather can spring up without much of a warning. Most of the time when a flash flood or bad thunderstorm is threatening your area, you barely have enough time to find shelter. As a homeowner, it is important that you think about these moments before they occur.

Do you have the correct insurance policy? Is your home going to be covered in the event of a disaster? Is the amount of coverage going to be enough to restore your home? Thinking about these questions before the storm damage occurs can make your life after the storm much easier.

Before you do anything else, stop and make sure your home is covered for the following:

  • Water and Windstorm Damage
  • Debris or Tree Removal
  • Sewer Backup Due to Flooding
  • Sump Pump Failures Due to Flooding
  • Additional Living Expenses In Case A Storm Forces You Out of Your Home

Once you have the proper home insurance coverage for storm damage, you can feel safer during the event of a disaster. Seeing your home damaged after a major storm can be heartbreaking. The best thing you can do for your family and your home is to begin the storm damage recovery immediately.

Our SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County Team is here to help after every storm. We are available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year!

Clogged Gutters Can Cause Unexpected Water Losses

6/7/2022 (Permalink)

leaves in a gutter It is critical to keep your gutters clean to prevent water from seeping into your basement and causing floods.

One of the biggest fears as a homeowner with a basement is your basement flooding whenever it rains. A valid and legitimate fear, this situation causes a myriad of repairs. All sorts of damage including ruined flooring and carpeting, rotted drywall, destroyed furniture, and the worst of all, mold growth can occur. These repairs can be time-consuming and costly, and your basement can even flood in dry weather.

Issues with your foundation drainage is a big cause for a flooded basement and flood damage in your Cleveland home. However, the main reason for water in your basement is overflowing gutters. It is critical to keep your gutters clean to prevent water from seeping into your basement and causing floods. Quality gutter guards and even using an expert to clean your gutters out routinely keeps debris and leaves out of the gutters so they can function properly.

When your gutters do cause flooding in your basement, it can be quite overwhelming. You need to have professionals, such as SERVPRO, come to your home to help you get all the water out and repair the damages.

When your gutters are clogged with debris, the water has nowhere to go. It overflows over the gutters to the ground next to your house, only a couple feet from the foundation. As the ground is settling and moving, it stresses the foundation of your home which causes cracking, letting water enter your home. Hydrostatic pressure might force water in through the concrete. The main solution is to keep your gutters clean.

Flooded basements create not only a lot of possible damage but plenty of stress for you as well. At SERVPRO, we understand this, so we move quickly to get to your home after you reach out to us. We have the professional and industrial equipment to get all the standing water out of your home and use fans and dehumidifiers to finish the drying process. We have moisture meters to find any hidden water or mold growth as well.

When SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County is finished restoring your home after your basement floods, it is "Like it never even happened." Just give us a call at (440) 324-2620 so we can get started as soon as possible.

Sump Pump Back Ups In Your Cleveland Home

1/28/2021 (Permalink)

equipment set on concrete floor in basement after water back up This residential basement experienced water damage due to a sump pump back up.

Our SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County Team sees many flooded basements due to sump pump issues. If you have a sump pump, follow these steps.

First things first, check with your insurance agent to review your coverages! It is very frustrating for owners to find out they did not have any coverage or insufficient coverage.

How do you know if you need sump pump coverage or not?  Look at what you have in the basement. If you have an unfinished basement and just concrete floors, without any contents (or very few and not valuable), then you probably won't suffer much of a loss other than the cleanup effort from someone like us at SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County, who specializes in cleaning up floods and backups in homes and businesses. If you have a finished basement and contents that you would want to be replaced if ruined, then the cost of replacing and repairing everything grows very quickly, and insurance can be a good way to protect your investment (in your contents, and structure--walls, etc).

Take time today to reach out to your insurance agent for a coverage review--you may be surprised how under insured you are, not only for your home or business, but also your vehicles, health, and life. No, we are not insurance guru's, but we see their clients--YOU, and they are either very upset with the situation because of no coverage or under insured, or just a little frustrated with the situation, but feel better about it when they know it is a covered loss! 

Another precaution is to make sure you are paying attention to the weather and when we get a bunch of rain, then make sure you go downstairs to catch a problem as early as possible. Many times, property owners do not realize they have a water loss until they start to smell something and go downstairs to see. The longer the water sits, the more damage and discard items you can expect...including your carpet, pad, and drywall that was affected. 

Our SERVPRO Team Can Take Care Of Your Flood Damage

1/28/2021 (Permalink)

wet subfloor from flooding Don't let a flood disrupt your life. Call our SERVPRO team!

If you’ve recently had a flood of significance in your home, or firefighters have used water hoses to extinguish a fire, you are probably experiencing some severe water damage to your home and possessions. It can be overwhelming for sure, and in this type of situation, it is important that you know professionals you can turn to, like our team at SERVPRO, to help you restore your property back to its preloss condition.

Flood damage in Cleveland of any kind can create quite the mess of things and will disrupt your daily routine. However, you can rest assured that the professionals at SERVPRO are trained to handle any situation like this properly so that they can have you back to normal as soon as possible. Water damage restoration is a process with multiple steps which need to be handled by our professionals who are licensed and certified water restoration contractors, both through corporate and IICRC training methodologies.

The Initial Visual Inspection
The first step will be to do an initial assessment to figure out the right action that is needed to reverse the adverse effects of the flood damage. After this is done, if there are no safety hazards, your contents will be secured, and the restoration can begin.

Extraction of Water
Containing the flood damage and getting rid of any standing water right away is the top priority. Anything that is wet such as pillows, throw rugs, toys, clothing, and the like are removed from the affected area. Our technicians will start to treat any wet surfaces such as ceilings, walls, or floors to help speed up the drying process. Baseboards may need to be discarded, along with any wet insulation. Cabinet drawers and doors will be opened to speed up the drying process. All wet surfaces will have to be treated.

Stabilizing and Drying
Once all the wet materials are removed, the drying process can begin. Technicians will use commercial grade equipment, including dehumidifiers, air movers, heaters and wood floor drying systems. Controlling the moisture is very critical in preventing the growth of mold and preserving your belongings and furnishings.

Reassessing the Damage
Once your home is dry, certified technicians will do another inspection to make sure there are no hidden moisture pockets which could result in further damage or mold growth. No guess work is involved because moisture sensors and thermal hygrometers will reveal hidden pockets of residual moisture.

Reconstruction
After the water damage has been mitigated and your home returned to a preloss condition, if there are any building materials which need replacement or structural damage, the last step is restoration. At the end of reconstruction, your home will be safe and secure once again for you and your family. "Like it never even happened."

Flood damage can be devastating. However, we at SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County have the knowledge and training to restore your home. Give us a call anytime at (440) 324-2620!

Our SERVPRO Team Can Take Care Of Any Size Disaster

1/21/2021 (Permalink)

flooded bathroom floor in residential home If you have returned home after a severe storm to find your home filled with water, then immediately contact SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County.

Storms in Cleveland are often known to bring flooding to local homes. Flood waters in your home can be stressful for you and your family and may incur major repair costs. It is risky to attempt repairs to your home after a storm, so it is best to let professionals handle the situation.

The longer flood waters are allowed to sit in your home, the greater the likelihood of permanent damages that can be expensive to fix. For this reason, you should contact our SERVPRO Team for flood damage mitigation in your home. Floods often consist of two types of water: category 2 grey water and category 3 black water. Cat 2 water typically consists of water from rains that may accumulate in your house, while cat 3 water consists of dirty groundwater and debris. Most absorbent materials that come into contact with cat 3 water have to be discarded. Cat 2 water degrades into cat 3 water in a matter of days, so it is important to have water removed as soon as possible.

Our professionals are skilled in efficiently using a wide range of equipment to quickly resolve your flood-related issues. When our water damage restoration technician (WRT) teams arrive at your house, they can begin extracting debris and standing water. Water in your home can be pumped out with the use of industrial grade wet vacs and pumps.

After removing standing water, our certified techs can inspect your home for hidden water damage. Additional flood water can hide in cavities in your home, so we utilize thermal imaging cameras and moisture meters to inspect your walls for hidden moisture. If we find water in your walls, we can deploy structural drying equipment to facilitate the evaporation of water in your walls.

If you have returned home after a severe storm to find your home filled with water, then immediately contact SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County at (440) 324-2620 to begin the consultation process. Our technicians work rapidly to make you feel, “Like it never even happened.”

Who Should You Call After Storm Damage

1/21/2021 (Permalink)

hole in the ceiling in residential home This home experienced water damage due to cracks in the roof which lead to water making its way inside the home.

Who Do You Call?

When a storm comes down quick and fast, it often finds the cracks in the roofs, or the storm floods a part of your home and remediation is often needed. Most homeowners do not think about who their remediation company might be if needed. Most people may never experience something like this and the idea of a contractor coming into your home is sheer terror. With all the nightmare stories that exist about contractors, it is no surprise!

We Will Put You At Ease

Here at SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County, we want to put your anxiety about hiring someone to come and make repairs to your home. We are here to help you get your home put back together and walk you through the entire process. We want to make sure that you have the confidence when you hire us that we will get the job done efficiently and correct the first time. Things are going to happen, how we react to them and how we prepare for them is the difference.

Call our SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County Team today at (440) 324-2620 for all of your storm damage needs. We are always here to help!

Preparing For Winter Storms

1/15/2021 (Permalink)

ice on driveway Be ready this upcoming winter!

Winter weather in Ohio can be hard to predict.  Even though we have not any snow yet this year, it is a good idea to prepare your home, car and surrounding area for any upcoming storms. 

Follow these helpful tips

Salt pavement around your house: the city is pretty good with clearing the roads around your home, however any sidewalks and pathways are left up to the homeowner to clear.  To make things easier on homeowners, once you are aware of any storm headed your way spread street salt on your driveway and walkway. Placing salt down prior to any snowstorm can reduce the ice that forms underneath piles of snow. 

Keep a steady drip:  With snow comes freezing and sometimes below freezing conditions leaving your pipes vulnerable and likely to freeze and in turn burst.  Having a settle but steady drip of warm water flow through will help keep your pipes from freezing during these conditions. 

Create a winter ready emergency kit: In an event of a snow storm the strength of it is always unpredictable.  To keep you and your family safe, create and keep a winter ready emergency kit available.  A few things to keep in the kit; bottled water, batteries, a functioning radio, different layers of clothing, blankets and non perishable food items.


SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County has a 24/7 emergency response team that is ready to handle any storm damage you may have in your Cleveland home.

SERVPRO's Storm Response

1/13/2021 (Permalink)

house with lightning strike Call SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County at 440-324-2620 if you experience storm damage in your home or business.

SERVPRO Storm Response

Our team here at SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County is ready for whatever happens, no matter the time of day. Our crews are always on standby. When it comes to fire and water damage, our professionals work tirelessly to make sure our customers are satisfied and are explained each step of the cleaning process.

Highly Trained Storm Damage Specialists

As leading professionals in the storm and water damage industry, we have advanced training and expertise, along with a tremendous amount of hands-on experience. We use this training and experience to quickly dry your home or business and restore it back to pre-storm condition.

Faster to Any Size Disaster

If a storm hits your home or business, odds are you need help immediately. Our quick response will help prevent any secondary damage and help reduce restoration costs.

We Have the Resources to Handle Storms and Disasters

Our team has access to resources and personnel of over 1,700 Franchises to handle major storms and disasters. Along with the access to our exclusive  Disaster Recovery Teams strategically located to respond to catastrophic storms and events throughout the country.

Locally Owned and Operated

SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County is locally owned and operated. We are actively apart of the community with you as well. When you have a storm disaster or flooding emergency, we are in the area and ready to help you.

Damaged Roofs Can Allow Flooding In Your Cleveland Home

1/22/2020 (Permalink)

blue tarp on roof of house If you experience a flood in your home from a damaged roof, call our SERVPRO team!

With the recent winters that Cleveland homeowners have seen, heavy snowfall might have wreaked a little more havoc than just making automobile travel taxing. With substantial weight on the roof of your home, supports underneath the roof stress and buckle under the pressure placed on them for extended periods it took for the weather to warm enough to melt the inches away. With this pressure, many roofs in the area became unknowingly damaged, allowing small amounts of water to pass through and worsen over time.


With spring in the air, you can anticipate the torrential rainfall is coming right along with the changing of the season. The unfortunate aspect of this for those roofs that started to degrade with the harsh winter is the likelihood of flood damages to your home.

While many people might combat flooding in the basement of their home from the severe weather systems that often roll across the Buckeye State, attic flooding poses a more substantial threat to your home and every floor of your house below this attic space. As the water begins to penetrate the roof and pool in the attic, you might be completely unaware of a problem until the water begins to force its way through the ceiling of the rooms below the attic.

Fortunately, SERVPRO technicians are here to help you when you need it. With a fast response time on your part to give our team a call, we can get out to your home and start working to restore the present damage and isolate the damaged areas of your roof to prevent further harm from occurring. The longer that the problem persists, the more widespread and devastating it can be to structural components and construction materials in your home, so do not hesitate at the first sign of trouble.

Our SERVPRO professionals assess the full reach of the problem once immediate threats have gotten handled. In these situations, extraction is critical to establishing an environment that limits the possibility of worsening damage and allows our technicians space and opportunity to get to work on other issues present from the flood.

While your home is likely going to require the services of a residential contractor to resolve the pressing concerns of a compromised roof, our SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County technicians can clean up the mess and return your home to its preloss condition.

Signs Of Storm Damage

1/22/2020 (Permalink)

tree fallen on house causing damage This roof was damaged by a storm causing a tree to fall on the home damaging the roof and gutter.

After a storm rolls through, it is important to inspect your house for damage the storm may have caused. Listed below are areas you should be looking at.

  1. Roof: Look for shingles that have discoloration, tearing, or even holes in them. These can all be signs that your roof has been damaged. Another sign is if there are leaks in your roof or your ceiling.
  2. Gutters: After a hail storm, looking for dents or dings can also give you a better picture of what the storm did to the rest of your home. Your gutters can also give you insight to whether you have roof damage. Check to see if there are granules from the asphalt shingles in your gutter.
  3. Windows: Look at each of the windows on your homes and note any signs of shattered or broken window and frame damage. This is especially important after a hail storm or a strong wind storm.
  4. Exterior: Not only is it important to look at the siding of your home to check for damage, it is also important that you check all appliances. Inspect your AC/HVAC unit as well as items such as an outdoor grill.

After your inspection, if you notice any signs of storm damage follow up by checking the area for signs of mold, mildew, pests or other secondary damage. Our team is able to put an emergency roof tarp to prevent any further damage. Call SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County at (440) 324-2620 for any restoration needs you may have.

Sump Pump Maintenance For Your Home

1/14/2020 (Permalink)

sump pump Call SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County if you experience a sump pump backup.

A sump pump is one of the most important parts of basement plumbing equipment. It makes sure that any accumulated water in your home and around its foundation is promptly pumped out and away from your home to a storm sewer or containment pond, so it doesn't allow your basement to flood, damaging your possessions. At least, that's what it is supposed to do. If your sump pump is not regularly and properly tested, then you can't guarantee that it will come through when you need it most.

1. Inspect the pump and its outlet pipe

Start the inspection by listening. If there is excessive groundwater around the foundation, the pump should turn itself on, pumping out the water and turning itself off again. Next, remove the cover and look inside the sump pit. If the level of water is low, there is a high chance the pump is working properly. Examine the sump pump for any signs of external damage, as well as any obstructions or debris in the surrounding pit. You will also want to see if the outlet pipe that carries water from the pump to outside your home is free of any blockage. And the check valve is working properly.

2. Check the electrical components

Your sump pump should be plugged into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, which protects it from a potential short while it is submerged. Consider getting yourself a battery-based backup pump for your sump pump that will kick on if your primary sump pump fails.

3. Test the sump pump

Test your sump pump by pouring in five gallons of water. The pump should then turn on once the water level reaches a predetermined level below the basement floor. If the pump doesn’t turn on, it could be either clogged or damaged, and you should call a licensed plumber for help.

4. Clean and maintain your sump pump

The typical lifespan of a sump pump is 10 years but if your sump pump is running often, you should consider replacing it every 5 to 7 years. Inspect and test your sump pump at least once a year. To be safe, check your sump pump before a big storm hits your area.

Leave The Board-Ups And Roof Tarping To This SERVPRO Team

1/14/2020 (Permalink)

blue tarp on ceiling of kitchen The ceiling in this home was tarped due to a bad leak causing it to collapse.

Here at SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County we want to take the hassle and stress out of the board up and roof tarping of your home due to a disaster.

Whether your home or business was damaged by a fire, storm, or other structural disasters, boarding up or tarping a damaged property is a burden that you as a homeowner shouldn't have to handle. Incorrectly boarding up or tarping your home can result in further damage, making the situation worse. Whether the further damage be from moisture or animal intrusions.

Our dedicated team of professionals are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year to help with in case you come across unexpected damage to your home or business.

Our trained and certified professionals are here to board up or tarp your damaged property, remediate the original damage and provide you with peace of mind while helping make it “Like it never even happened.”

How To Thaw Your Frozen Pipes

1/14/2020 (Permalink)

hand holding hairdryer on frozen pipe Call SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County if you experience burst pipes in your home.

If you turn on your faucet and notice only a little trickle coming out, it's safe to say you have a frozen pipe. If you suspect that the pipes are frozen, be careful when thawing the pipe out because if the pipe has already burst, the water will start flowing out into your home causing a flood.

If you notice that the pipe has been broken, turn off the water at the main shutoff valve. If the water is still running and no sign of burst pipes, follow the steps below.

  • Turn on your faucet. As you start to heat the frozen pipe and the ice plug begins to melt, the water needs to be able to flow through. Running water through the pipe, as cold as it is, will help melt ice in the pipe.
  • Heat the section of the pipe. Use an electric heating pad to wrap around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, or a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or wrap the pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Avoid using any device with an open flame, the high heat can damage the pipes and even start a fire.
  • Apply heat until the full water pressure is restored. Check all other faucets in your home. If one pipe is frozen, it is very likely that others may have frozen too.
  • If you are unable to locate the frozen pipes, call a licensed plumber.

What You Should Know About Ice Dams

1/3/2020 (Permalink)

ice dam on roof If your house has been damaged, call our SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County team

For homeowners in Southern Lorain County, winter can bring a number of problems, from burst pipes to leaky roofs. Another issue you may not be aware of is the formation of ice dams. While it may not seem like much of an issue on its own, it can cause extensive water damage to your house which can then create more problems. Here are a few things that you should know.

1. What Are They?

As you may be able to guess from its name, an ice dam is a formation that keeps water from properly moving from your roof. They occur when snow melts and then refreezes into harder ice. They often form on the edge of the roof which can make it difficult for water to drain properly but can also show up in other areas. When this happens, the trapped water can begin to back up and cause damage to the roof and ceiling underneath it.

2. How Do You Prevent Them?

These formations occur because of melting and refreezing snow, so one tip for ice dam prevention is to keep the temperature of your roof cold enough to prevent melting. This is most easily done by keeping the temperature in your attic low. Proper insulation can help as well. Another method of prevention is removing snow from your roof immediately after a storm.

3. How Can You Remove Them?

If you already have an ice dam on your roof, then you should remove it as quickly as possible to prevent it from causing any damage. One way to do this is by using an ice melt product. Hot water steaming can do the trick as well.


While a winter storm and cold weather can often create frustrating problems, you do not need to handle them all on your own. Our SERVPRO of Southern Lorain County team is always here to help!