Remember to Protect Your Home From the Environment

Yesterday, I found water leaking through the top of a kitchen window. When I looked outside, I could see that the two feet of snow, which fell on the metro Chicago area this month, had started to melt and had already created enormous ice dams. Somehow, as is the case with water, the dripping icicles found a way to permeate through a window.

I went outside and knocked the ice off the side of my house. Soon after, the water stopped leaking. Later that night, my husband and I discussed ways to keep the ice from damming on our roof.

No matter where you live, extreme temperatures can wreak havoc on your home's physical structure. It's important to quickly address situations, while the problems are still relatively small. When the temperature moderates, you can create ways to fix the problem until the next weather emergency hits.

This morning, my kitchen window was dry. But I know I'll spend the rest of the winter reminding myself to knock the icicles off of my house before they find a way into my home.

Ilyce Glink is the bestselling author of 100 Questions Every First Time Home Buyer Should Ask, and is the Managing Editor of Right at Home Daily.

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