The weather has been quite severe across the United States this past winter.
Since it's only mid-February, we know there are many more days of freezing weather to come before the warmer weather arrives to stay.
Frozen pipes and ice damming are two damage-causing situations.
The damage to your home is compounded by the wet, cold and smelly conditions you'll endure during the clean-up effort.
There is little-to-no comfort in knowing that thousands of others are going through the same thing.
There are precautions to prevent both of these from happening.
FROZEN PIPES When water pipes freeze, they often burst, dispersing water throughout the house.
According to a nationally known insurance company, an eighth-inch break in a pipe can deliver up to 250 gallons of water a day.
Flooring, furniture, electronics, appliances and other contents can be destroyed.
The easiest way to prevent frozen pipes is to turn on the hot and cold water faucets and allow a small trickle of water to continue to run.
Also open the doors of cabinets that have water pipes running through them.
Many insurance companies and contractors provide these additional steps to protect your home:

• Insulate pipes in crawl spaces and the attic.
  
• Use heat tape to wrap pipes.
  
• Seal leaks that are near water pipes.
  
• Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outside faucets.
  

ICE DAMS These are often created after days of the melting-freezing cycle.
This past winter's ice storms caused immediate dams as gutters were filled with ice and ice/snow mixtures.
The thaw creates water running down your roof.
When it reaches the ice dam, whether on your roof or in the gutters, it backs up.
The water then seeps under the shingles.
Eventually it will drip into the attic, then onto the ceilings and walls beneath.
Severe damage can occur to the drywall, and ceilings have been known to fall into the room below.
To help prevent ice dams from forming:

• In the fall, remove leaves, sticks and other debris from your gutters and down-spouts
• Remove heavy snow off your roof using roof rakes.
  
• Take precaution to keep gutters and down spouts clear of snow and ice.
  

DAMAGE RESULTS Depending on your insurance, and the event that caused the damage, you may or may not have contents coverage.
Check with your insurance agent.
Be aware that mold can occur from the moisture.
These spores can cause health problems such as allergens and irritants.
Be sure to remove and/or replace carpets, rugs and upholstery that cannot be cleaned properly.
REPAIRS When you experience damage from frozen pipes and ice dams, contact your insurance agent immediately.
When hiring someone to repair your damages, make sure they are a full-service restoration company because you don't know what they will run into.
Also ensure they are mold certified.