BBB Urges Homeowners To Call Professionals When Weather Extremes Cause Unusual Issues in Homes
CHICAGO, IL – The record-setting winter weather this season is causing some unusual or never-before seen issues for many homeowners.  The Better Business Bureau recommends contacting a qualified professional to handle any issues beyond the homeowner’s experience or skill level.
“If there are unusual or unexpected situations with any of the structural or mechanical systems of a home, it is important to get a professional involved,” explained Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. “This helps to ensure that if there is a problem, it does not become worse. And recently constructed homes and even older homes that have been remodeled can experience issues because of the extreme cold weather that Chicago has not seen in decades.”
“Homeowner can look for any obvious issue that they can solve as a DIY project, to save themselves the time and expense of calling in a professional,” Bernas noted. “However, when the homeowner does not have the experience or could make the problem worse, then it is time to make that call. The first step in doing that is to check out any contractor with the BBB through the direct link to Business Reviews at www.bbbit.org.”
Bernas explained one issue that some homeowners may have experienced is window condensation and interior frosting, which can be caused by elevated humidity in the home. This moisture occurs in homes today that are built tighter with less air leakage, in kitchens or exercise rooms, or when using humidifiers to add moisture to the indoor air.
“Our Accredited Businesses who are contractors tell us that this condensation is often seen on windows and skylights, which make it appear as if the window was leaking. Windows have a lower surface temperature than the home during colder weather and condensation forms on the interior of the window due to the humidity. If the weather is extremely cold outside and the surface temperature of the window is cold enough, that condensation can turn into frost on the inside of the window,” Bernas noted.
For more information, visit bbb.org
