How To Make Brick Porches Safe For Winter

As beautiful as the snowfall may be in the winter, it can also be incredibly hazardous around your home. A simple patch of ice on your porch could cause someone to trip, fall, and severely hurt themselves on your property. Not only will you then have to look over the person’s recovery, but you could be held responsible for the fall due to negligence as a property owner.

Assuming you want to avoid this worst-case scenario, follow the guide below to learn how to make your porch safe for the winter.

Clear The Snow

Clear the snow off your brick porch on a regular basis to minimize the chance of ice building up on the concrete. If you still get ice even without the snow there, you can try putting black blankets or towels over the ice in the daylight. Dark colors absorb light better than light colors, so they will capture the sun and direct it on the ice patch. This should help you clear up the ice without damaging the concrete,

Watch The Guttering

The guttering that hangs above your porch could be a disaster waiting to happen. If you have ice built up in your gutters, it could eventually come crashing down on your visitors. It may also cause icicles to form above the porch, which can be hazardous on their own. If your gutters are not draining water properly, try filling a nylon sock with chloride ice melter and placing it just above the guttering. This will ensure that the ice melts before entering the gutters so you do not have to worry about large ice blocks.

Refinish The Surface

If the concrete on your porch is unlevel and uneven, you may want to have it refinished before the winter progresses too far. This will minimize the chances of someone slipping while on your icy porch. It will also keep the ice buildup to a minimum so you have less risks to worry about. Concrete refinishing does not cost much, and it may even add value to your home.

Extend The Roof

If you want to spend a little extra money protecting your porch in the winter, you may be able to extend your roof so that it covers the porch better. This is an investment that you may want to hold off on until you know that ice is going to be a significant problem. Porches along the north and east sides of the home tend to need more protection than others because they do not have as much access to sunlight. Assess the needs of your home and invest in the option that is right for you.