This February is officially (well, named by me anyway) Frozen February! For the first time that I can remember, we’ve had sustained polar cold settled in over the NE Ohio area for over a month that doesn’t have a family holiday in it, with lows as low as -21-and multiple days and multiple weeks with negative temperatures. The effect of that on homes can be catastrophic! First, the higher declination of the sun in February makes for more roof melting (more than you’d get in December or January) on Southern, Eastern and Western exposures, making for massive ice dams that aren’t typical for many of us. Along with the ice dams, which maybe aren’t causing any damage yet (wait for the melt!) the low temps have caused frozen and burst pipes to be a major event for many of us. Temps in the -20 range will truly test the insulation, draft stopping, and general construction of your home. Many will fail that test. If yours is one of those, get help immediately! Turn off the water, call your plumber, and then your insurance company. If you are traveling or vacationing,, make sure to turn the water off at the main (don’t forget to turn off or unplug your water heater(s) too) before you leave so you don’t find a massive surprise on your return. If it’s too late, give us a call, we can help-
