Okay snow experts I have some questions

[lovemygoofy]

This weekend I'm trying to clean up from all this snow. I'm working slowly but surely gettng all this snow off my deck. I have a big deck and it is a slow process. All the snow is off my driveway thankfully. I do have some homecare questions about all this snow stuff.

1. I have HUGE HUGE ice cicles hanging off the roof/gutter system. Is this possibly bad like ripping the gutter system down bad or pulling off shingles bad? What the heck would I do to get rid of them besides hit them with the shovel and duck?

2. I have a walk in basement at the back of my house that has a tube pump thingy coming out of it. You can't actually even see the basement steps or the door as it looks like great sledding potential right now. I'm worried about this snow melting and coming down to flood my basement. Should I be trying to get the snow out of there especially away from this tube pump thingy? How the heck do I move all the snow? It's not like I can shovel and throw over my shoulder. It has a brick wall on one side and my house on the other. I'm seriously considering a bucket or something to help get it out of there. Any tips on this?

3. Because we have had such hard storms and possible damage to the house, should I make an appointment for home inspection? I know that at least 2 gutters are toast. I wouldn't even know what to look for elsewhere. It is freezing cold upstairs right now even when the heat is on. I think the heater is about done anyways but that has been a couple months in the making. I am renting but most of the upkeep unless structural is mine alone. I would think it would just be easier to call someone for an inspection. Is there such a person?

Any other tips or help you can offer would be great. I hope I'm not sounding stupid. I'm simply uneducated on this kind of things and not even sure what to do. I can't hardly get around in the yard since the snow is waist deep. If it comes a big snow on Monday I'm going to need snorkel gear to check my mail!

 

[Heidict]

Wait, hold on. You are renting and something like a furnace or heater going out is your responsibilty? Am I reading that wrong? Please, tell me I am.

In regards to the other stuff, we never worried about rain gutters. We just left the icicles there until they melted. The thing to really worry about was too much snow on the roof because it could put to much stress on the roof and frame and cause damage.

Without seeing a picture of your basement door it's tough to say whether or not you would need to clear the snow from that area for fear of damaging the basement.

I would only get a home inspection done if there is possible structural damage like cracks mysteriously appearing in the walls.

 

[bas71873]

Wait, hold on. You are renting and something like a furnace or heater going out is your responsibilty? Am I reading that wrong? Please, tell me I am.

In regards to the other stuff, we never worried about rain gutters. We just left the icicles there until they melted. The thing to really worry about was too much snow on the roof because it could put to much stress on the roof and frame and cause damage.

Without seeing a picture of your basement door it's tough to say whether or not you would need to clear the snow from that area for fear of damaging the basement.

I would only get a home inspection done if there is possible structural damage like cracks mysteriously appearing in the walls.

But shouldn't that too fall to the homeOWNER and not the renter?

Anywho, with regard to the A/C or heating unit outside, I got an email the other day from our A/C service and it said to go out and check as you should keep as much ice & snow OFF of the unit as possible. It then said if there is a 1/4 inch thick or more of ice to turn the unit to emergency heat and then place a service call. I went out and checked ours and thankfully, it's on the side of my house that gets the sun so there was no ice but what snow was on and around it, I shoveled it away.....

 

[bas71873]

If it comes a big snow on Monday I'm going to need snorkel gear to check my mail!

I just reread your post and that made me laugh. Right now, we are melting so fast that my yard is like the Louisiana swamp.....so wet, mushy & muddy. ICK!

And if we get another hit on Monday, I swear I'm just going to cry!

 

[jordansmomma]

We always knock down the icicles. It can add to the weight on the roof. Last winter in Washington (state) we had so much snow!! Roofs were caving in! Make sure to get someone to shovel the snow off the roof. It can melt and turn to ice and it can get heavier. A leaky roof would not be fun! But then again the roof caving in wouldn't be fun either.

As for the basement door, do you have a picture?

 

[monkeybug]

My friend from Maine told me that ice and snow on a roof can cause it to leak and is dangerous if it all falls off in a giant sheet. She said the icicles can cause leaking around the windows? I don't know, but I knocked them all off just in case.
I know that if you have a heat pump (maybe what the tube thingy is?) you should clear the snow around it or it won't work properly. You should also clear out your dryer vent just to be on the safe side.
Any damage caused by the storm should be your landlords responsibility as would an inspection (probably not necessary, and can be quite pricey). Gutters, heaters, leaks...unless you caused the damage those are all the owners responsibilities. You should only be responsible for light bulbs, smoke detector batteries, and maybe a repair fee for things like the dishwasher, garbage disposal, and small plumbing issues. (the amount you pay per repair should be in your lease)
Also if you have USAA as your renters insurance they will cover any loss of food due to power outage. We had a refrigerator break while we were living in Military housing. I had just gone to Costco and had a freezer full of meat that ultimately we could not keep frozen. USAA sent us a check for the amount we lost, no questions asked. Any other personal loss due to the storm should also be covered by homeowners insurance.
I would try to get the snow away from the basement if you can, but I'm guessing (hoping) they have some sort of drainage that should carry the water away from the basement???
Maybe call the landlord and let him know you are new to snow and want to make sure there is nothing beyond shoveling you should be doing. They should be able to tell you, and will probably appreciate that you are caring so well for their home.

 

[Abbie]

My personal snow philosophy is to sit back and wait for spring.

Alas, with 4-5' on my deck, I have to do the same thing you're doing. As far as the heat issue, have you checked to make sure your heat pump (assuming that's what you have) is clear and unblocked? (and as an aside, make sure your dryer vent is unblocked to prevent a fire) The icicles I'd just knock down, but more because it's fun than anything else. Just be sure not to be underneath when they are coming down!

I know you are alone so please, please be careful about moving around your yard! I took my (little) dogs out this morning to try to get them out a bit and promptly got stuck! It was a panicky feeling because my legs were trapped and I had fallen backwards and literally could not get up. I couldn't get my legs under me, and every time I tried to get some leverage by pushing on the snow, my arms would just break through the snow and be buried. If my husband hadn't been on the deck watching me (granted, laughing hysterically) I'm not sure what I would have done. Probably been there until spring thaw....

But seriously, this much snow is treacherous, don't try to be a hero removing it!

 

[N.Bailey]

Far from an expert weighing in here, and I didn't even sleep at a Holiday Inn last night (nor do I think I ever have).

The icicles can be dangerous. If you can reach them with a broom or something with a long handle, I'd suggest doing so. Just knock them down. We have never ripped spouting down by doing so. Just try to knock the tip off really. They can be pretty pointy and if they fall off, I surely wouldn't want to be near them. If you can't reach them, well, there probably isn't much you can do.

As for everything else, I really have no clue. I'm sure there are handyman ads listed in your area. That's maybe someone you could try to contact?

Agree that if you're renting that you shouldn't be held responsible for some of the issues that you mentioned. That's why you rent!

 

[Heidict]

But shouldn't that too fall to the homeOWNER and not the renter?

Yes, the inspection should fall on the homeowner.

I know that if you have a heat pump (maybe what the tube thingy is?) you should clear the snow around it or it won't work properly.

See, I was thinking that the thing out her basement is a subpump.

My personal snow philosophy is to sit back and wait for spring.

Alas, with 4-5' on my deck, I have to do the same thing you're doing. As far as the heat issue, have you checked to make sure your heat pump (assuming that's what you have) is clear and unblocked? (and as an aside, make sure your dryer vent is unblocked to prevent a fire) The icicles I'd just knock down, but more because it's fun than anything else. Just be sure not to be underneath when they are coming down!

I know you are alone so please, please be careful about moving around your yard! I took my (little) dogs out this morning to try to get them out a bit and promptly got stuck! It was a panicky feeling because my legs were trapped and I had fallen backwards and literally could not get up. I couldn't get my legs under me, and every time I tried to get some leverage by pushing on the snow, my arms would just break through the snow and be buried. If my husband hadn't been on the deck watching me (granted, laughing hysterically) I'm not sure what I would have done. Probably been there until spring thaw....

But seriously, this much snow is treacherous, don't try to be a hero removing it!

Yeah, I used to love knocking down icicles and then eating them.

I'm glad that I was not the only laughing at the imagine of you stuck in the snow. Sorry.

When we were kids we used to love it when the pool would get full of snow. Then we would jump in it or fall back into it. It was alot of work getting out, but it was fun.

 

[golfgal]

Tina, you are renting???? I thought you bought the house.

Ok, the tube thingy I am guess is a sump pump. Is there a hole somewhere in your basement where a pipe is coming out and is connected to this tube thingy? If so, that is a sump pump. Keep an eye on how much water is in that hole. It isn't unusual to have some water in there so don't be concerned about that. If it starts to rise and it looks like the pump isn't doing anything, dig out the hose. Take a 2" wide PVC pipe (buy it from Home Depot or wherever) and put that on the outlet pipe. This probably won't be something you need to do in the next few days unless it starts melting rapidly.

The icicles are not a major concern but if you end up with an ice dam that can leak into the house. The best way to deal with that is to fill up some old nylons with ice melt and lay it up on the roof (which will probably be waist height for you now from what it sounds like ) and move it around as it melts the ice.

Homeowner's insurance typically covers damage from the weight of snow so don't worry too much about that. If you have damage, you have damage, there isn't much you can do about it now.

I wouldn't pay for an inspection just yet but it wouldn't hurt to get on the list of a roofing company that clears snow off roofs. If you are renting you should NOT have to pay for that, if you own, it is worth every penny.

I am still trying to talk DH agreeing with me that I should fly out and help you. There were some things in DC I wanted to see when we were there this past summer that I didn't get to see .

 

[taximomfor4]

This weekend I'm trying to clean up from all this snow. I'm working slowly but surely gettng all this snow off my deck. I have a big deck and it is a slow process. All the snow is off my driveway thankfully. I do have some homecare questions about all this snow stuff.

1. I have HUGE HUGE ice cicles hanging off the roof/gutter system. Is this possibly bad like ripping the gutter system down bad or pulling off shingles bad? What the heck would I do to get rid of them besides hit them with the shovel and duck? Never had to worry about icicles...the kids take them down and play with them.

2. I have a walk in basement at the back of my house that has a tube pump thingy coming out of it. You can't actually even see the basement steps or the door as it looks like great sledding potential right now. I'm worried about this snow melting and coming down to flood my basement. Should I be trying to get the snow out of there especially away from this tube pump thingy? How the heck do I move all the snow? It's not like I can shovel and throw over my shoulder. It has a brick wall on one side and my house on the other. I'm seriously considering a bucket or something to help get it out of there. Any tips on this? Don't know what you are referring to, sorry. Hope someone else can chime in on that one.

3. Because we have had such hard storms and possible damage to the house, should I make an appointment for home inspection? I know that at least 2 gutters are toast. I wouldn't even know what to look for elsewhere. It is freezing cold upstairs right now even when the heat is on. I think the heater is about done anyways but that has been a couple months in the making. I am renting but most of the upkeep unless structural is mine alone. I would think it would just be easier to call someone for an inspection. Is there such a person? Let the landlord deal with that if they want to. However, if you start NOTICING damage, call the landlord and report it.

Any other tips or help you can offer would be great. I hope I'm not sounding stupid. I'm simply uneducated on this kind of things and not even sure what to do. I can't hardly get around in the yard since the snow is waist deep. If it comes a big snow on Monday I'm going to need snorkel gear to check my mail!

I replied to each question, in BOLD, where I quoted your OP. I hope the next big snow misses your area. We live in a known Snow Belt, and it's at times like this that I'm glad to live in a single-story home with no basement (we can reach the icicles easily, and the spring thaw has nowhere to flood in my home!)

 

[golfgal]

Our kids have been having javelin contests off the deck with the icicles off the roof of our bump-out in the kitchen .

 

[BunsenH]

1. Can you knock the icicles off from inside the house through windows? A much safer option.

2. It sounds like your hatchway is buried. If it is not well sealed (mine isn't), melting snow will find its way into the basement.

 

[lovemygoofy]

Sorry I didn't mean to post and leave.

We are renting our house. We have a property manager as the owners are in another state. The property manager is okay. Not always the most helpful but he tries if I push him on it.

As for the heater unit, it started making noises months ago. I called about it then and was told that until it breaks nothing can be done because of the home warranty on it. I would think it would cost less to do preventive repair but hey it's not my dime. I'm just the one that would be freezing.

I always call before making any repairs. For example the garage door opener is taking out or something. It doesn't want to respond to the remotes or the button on the wall. I called and was told I'd have to take care of that.

I just wanted to know how I can be proactive to prevent any major damage. Thanks for the tips so far.

 

[PatsMom]

My father was a builder and he always taught me to leave the icicles alone. I've done that all my life and in an area that gets heavy, heavy snow and ice and have never had a roof leak. Right now I have no icicles since are not getting the snow that the ski areas desparately want! The local bars have signs requesting people to pray for snow. Wish you could send us some of yours.

I really have nothing else to offer. I'm not familiar with building codes in your area of the country so I am not sure what weight the decks and roofs are designed to hold. I know that the year we had over four feet of snow on the roof we did hire someone to shovel. Other than that, we leave it alone. But houses are designed to carry the load in this part of the country. A lot also depends on the pitch of the roof. Shoveling can actually damage the roof.

Good luck. I know it is difficult to deal with all of this on your own. The year we had snow over my head, my husband had pretty major surgery in November. By January the snow blower couldn't blow the snow high enough to clear my walkway. We literally had to take a shovel full at a time and walk to where we could dump it. Your bucket idea might work too.

Your tube thingy does sound like a sump pump. As someone already mentioned, watch the water in the hole. You don't need your basement flooding. If you are concerned about the area near the door where you have snow piled up outside, try locating some sandbags to put inside the door to prevent leakage underneath. We had a walkout prone to flooding in our last house and that trick worked for us. A few bags of sand did wonders.

 

[Deb in IA]

Our kids have been having javelin contests off the deck with the icicles off the roof of our bump-out in the kitchen .

They make great light sabers too.

 

[monkeybug]

Sorry I didn't mean to post and leave.

We are renting our house. We have a property manager as the owners are in another state. The property manager is okay. Not always the most helpful but he tries if I push him on it.

As for the heater unit, it started making noises months ago. I called about it then and was told that until it breaks nothing can be done because of the home warranty on it. I would think it would cost less to do preventive repair but hey it's not my dime. I'm just the one that would be freezing.

I always call before making any repairs. For example the garage door opener is taking out or something. It doesn't want to respond to the remotes or the button on the wall. I called and was told I'd have to take care of that.

I just wanted to know how I can be proactive to prevent any major damage. Thanks for the tips so far.

It's a bummer that they won't come fix the heater until it completely stops working. That just seems wrong.
Do you have people near you to help out if you need it? This much snow is a lot for one person (but I'm probably just a wimp). I know on my husbands last boat the XO would always leave me a list ( I was ombudsman) of people who had stayed behind with the instruction that if a spouse were to call needing a simple repair, or a ride, or something along those lines to give them a call. We had a pretty major storm and a lot of spouses were left with out shingles on their roofs, blown over fences, flooding, and downed trees. The CO had all the undeployed boats and units help out those spouses whose husbands were deployed. Coast Guard is small military though, and probably totally different. Still I know the midshipman around here are helping to shovel some people out.

 

[golfgal]

It's a bummer that they won't come fix the heater until it completely stops working. That just seems wrong.
Do you have people near you to help out if you need it? This much snow is a lot for one person (but I'm probably just a wimp). I know on my husbands last boat the XO would always leave me a list ( I was ombudsman) of people who had stayed behind with the instruction that if a spouse were to call needing a simple repair, or a ride, or something along those lines to give them a call. We had a pretty major storm and a lot of spouses were left with out shingles on their roofs, blown over fences, flooding, and downed trees. The CO had all the undeployed boats and units help out those spouses whose husbands were deployed. Coast Guard is small military though, and probably totally different. Still I know the midshipman around here are helping to shovel some people out.

I know when the people stationed at the armory in our old town deployed, the town got together and created a list like this. We had one man from DH's company deploy and everyone in his department gave his wife a list of things they could help with--everything from babysitting to snow removal to home repairs, etc. Tina, have you called to see if there is something like this around???

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I would suggest a baseball bat for the icicles...much more fun.

 

[Heidict]

Tina- you have no heat in the upstairs of your house? Then I think you need to call the managment company and tell them it's broken. They can't expect you to live in a house that is unheated.