A quick warmup could lead to a quick meltdown later this week. (Cam Lee/northeastNOW Staff)

By Rob Mahon

Rapid Meltdown Incoming

Thin ice, flooded basements among risks with rapid meltdown approaching

Apr 5, 2023 | 12:00 PM

Our prolonged end to winter looks to be turning very suddenly, and while the warm weather will be welcome, the ensuing meltdown could pose some problems for homeowners.

A rapid meltdown could lead to flooded basements, ice dams, and quick breakups of ice on rivers and ponds. Each of these carries their own concern.

“If you haven’t already done so, and I must admit I’m probably one of those guilty parties, you might want to start moving away some of the excess snow piled around your yard,” said Lyle Karasiuk, director of public affairs with Parkland Ambulance. “We’re more worried about that stuff that’s right up against your foundation.”

From an insurance perspective, keeping that water out of your home would save you from an expensive bill, and moving snow away is the surest way to do so.

“If you can, remove as much of that (snow) as possible, moving it away from your house about four to six feet will keep that from finding its way into your basement,” said Tyler McMurchy, manager of media relations with SGI.

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Also to be considered as the meltdown starts in earnest is the condition of ice on rivers and ponds. While it often takes a long time for thick ice to form, it can become dangerously thin with alarming speed.

“The smaller bodies of water, sloughs and dugouts that don’t often freeze well or have underlying water currents, that ice is going to start to get a little bit thinner,” Karasiuk said. “With thinner ice, the danger of course is that could lead to someone being immersed, and certainly we don’t want to have that happening at all.”

Ice with water pooling on top of it or at the edges of it is a sign it’s ice you don’t want to walk on, as is ice that’s darker in colour and doesn’t appear as thick. But with temperatures expected to hit 14 C within the next week, what ice there is won’t last long.

“If you start to venture out and hear that cracking of the surface that you’re on, first try not to be on that surface, but if you do hear that cracking, turn around and go exactly back where you came from,” Karasiuk said.

Before the really warm weather arrives, a freeze-thaw cycle is likely to set in for a few days. This can lead to ice damming and icy, slick sidewalks and roadways.

“What happens when snow melts and freezes and melts and freezes, if it doesn’t have a clear path off of your roof, it can refreeze when it reaches the end of your roof,” said McMurchy. “When it reaches the colder edge of your roof, it can form an ice dam that prevents water from moving off easily.”

McMurchy added beyond your property, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on storm drains and see if any of them are freezing over. If they have, it might be worth chipping off some of the ice so water from your lawn has somewhere to go.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP