Letters to the editor
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Inaction can be costly to homeowners
I have owned a roofing company in Pittsburgh for 40 years. I thought the Feb. 19 article did a good job describing the problem with ice dams ("Don't Let Those Drips Make You Flip"). The graph was very accurate as well.
At the end of the article unnamed "experts" were quoted as saying homeowners should do nothing except let the water leak into the house until it stops on its own. I almost fell out of my chair when I read that. We have been taking ice out of the gutters for two weeks now and it immediately stops the water from getting into the wall cavity and ceiling. The difference between two hours of leaking and two weeks of leaking is tens of thousands of dollars in saved interior damage.
We take the ice out, disconnect the downspout and salt the gutter. Yes, there can be some dings in the tin gutter after. It's even possible to chip the shingle edges. This is nothing compared to the damage the water has been doing inside people's homes.
If anyone really looked into that piece of advice, you would easily see how irresponsible it was.
JACK SHOOK
Old Dad Shook Contracting Inc.
Mount Oliver
Hope not enough
The Feb. 19 article "Don't Let Those Drips Make You Flip" was an example of irresponsible reporting. Having suffered water damage myself, I know that the proactive approach with my insurance company and disaster restoration company saved thousands of dollars of additional damage and interior grief.
The first thing done was removing excess snow off the roof and channeling water through the ice off the roof line to relieve pressure. Do nothing and whole ceilings can collapse inside the house.
With thousands of residents impacted, the suggestion to hope "that temperatures drop into the 20s and stay there" was totally irresponsible.
VICTOR SON
Hampton
Thank a lawyer
The next time James Copland ("Trial Lawyers Still Love Specter," Feb. 15 Perspectives) clicks his seat belt or straps his granddaughter into her car seat, he should thank a trial lawyer.
If he feels confident that he can take his medication or eat a forkful of "fresh salmon" without being rushed to the hospital, he should thank a trial lawyer.
Every time he uses his power mower to mow his lawn without suffering a leg or eye injury from flying debris or cuts a piece of wood with his power saw without losing a finger, he should thank a trial lawyer.
Mr. Copland simply does not understand that there are companies incapable of producing safe products without a little financial motivation from the judicial system.
First Published February 25, 2010 12:00 am
