What You Need to Know About Sleet in Northern Summit County

2/4/2021 (Permalink)

Know how to prepare for a sleet storm in Northeast Ohio.

NOT rain nor snow, but an unpleasant mix of both – sleet is a type of weather we do not spend as much time considering as its wet cousins.

With neither the aesthetics of snow, nor the regeneration that rain can bring, sleet seems to be the worst of both worlds – cold, ice forming, slippery, and wet.

More accurately known as freezing rain, sleet is often quaintly called a ‘wintery mix’ by television weather forecasters, but sleet is not a winter wonderland for your home.

While many of us dread a storm bringing hail, which is noted for its ability to cause damage to your roofing and siding, sleet can be just as pernicious.

While the initial impact may not cause as much damage as a hailstorm, sleet’s smaller pellets are more prone to settle and build up onto your property – which is where the problems can really begin. 

Since sleet needs cold weather to form its crystals, it means the settled sleet is much more likely to freeze solid into ice.

This settling sleet and ice are much more likely to penetrate under roofing shingles, especially in older roofs, than snow – which settles on top – or rain, which simply runs off the side.

And once inside the roof, when it starts to melt you can see water leaks into your home, more displaced damage to shingles and roofing tiles, and even pools of water forming that can refreeze into ice dams.

Water – and therefore ice – is also heavy. While your roof can withstand huge amounts of rain, as it runs down into guttering and is drained away, it was not designed to withstand large weights for sustained periods which is possible during a harsh winter. A regular pre-winter inspection of the state of your roof is highly advisable if you live in an area prone to harder winter weather.

And what is a problem for a roof is also a problem for the sides of your home. Whether your house is finished with traditional wood, or more modern plastic or vinyl, if it is older there are likely to be holes, cracks, or chips that sleet can get behind, causing similar problems for the inside of your property, which can become expensive to remedy.

While the weather is beyond our control, preparing for its impact is not – and prevention is better than a cure. Have your property inspected regularly to spot potential problem areas and fix them before they become a real problem.

Count on SERVPRO of Northern Summit County to inspect for potential problems and fix any damages to keep you and your wallet safe!