NJ Snowstorm Feb 2026: Protect Your Home from 2 Feet of Snow

A Major Winter Storm Is Hitting New Jersey

As of February 23, 2026, a significant winter storm is dumping up to 2 feet of snow across Northern New Jersey. While the snow may look beautiful from your window, it can cause serious and expensive damage to your home if you are not prepared.

At La Vaca General Contractors, we have seen firsthand how snowstorms lead to emergency calls for roof damage, burst pipes, and flooded basements. Here is what you should be doing right now to protect your home.

1. Watch Your Roof for Snow Load

Two feet of heavy, wet snow can weigh 20 to 25 pounds per square foot. That kind of load puts serious stress on your roof structure, especially on older homes.

Warning signs to watch for:

Doors that suddenly stick or will not close properly
Visible sagging in the ceiling or roofline
Cracking or popping sounds from the attic or upper floors
New cracks appearing in interior walls near the ceiling

What to do:

If you can safely reach your roof with a roof rake, remove snow from the edges to reduce weight. Work from the ground — never climb onto a snow-covered roof.
If you notice any sagging or structural cracking, call a contractor immediately. This is a structural emergency.
Keep an eye on flat or low-slope roof sections. These are the most vulnerable to snow accumulation and potential collapse.
Detached structures like garages and sheds are especially at risk since they often have lighter framing.

2. Prevent Ice Dams Before They Cause Leaks

Ice dams form when heat escapes from your attic and melts snow on the upper part of your roof. The water runs down to the colder eaves, refreezes, and creates a dam that forces water back under your shingles and into your home.

Ice dam damage is one of the most common insurance claims after major snowstorms in New Jersey.

How to prevent them:

Keep your attic cold. Make sure attic insulation is adequate and soffit vents are not blocked by snow or debris.
Clear snow from the bottom 3 to 4 feet of your roof using a roof rake, if you can do so safely from the ground.
If ice dams have already formed, do not chip at them with a hammer or axe. You will damage your shingles and make things worse.
Instead, use calcium chloride ice melt placed in a nylon stocking and laid across the dam. This will slowly melt a channel for water to drain.
If water is actively leaking into your home from an ice dam, call a professional for safe removal.

3. Protect Your Pipes from Freezing and Bursting

Burst pipes are one of the most common and costly problems during major snow events. Water damage from a single burst pipe can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $70,000 to repair, depending on how quickly it is caught.

Steps to take right now:

Open cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks to let warm air reach the pipes along exterior walls.
Let faucets drip slightly on both hot and cold lines. Moving water is much harder to freeze.
If you have pipes in unheated areas like the garage, crawl space, or exterior walls, wrap them with foam pipe insulation or heat tape.
Set your thermostat to at least 55°F, even if you leave the house. Do not turn the heat down drastically to save money during a storm.
Know where your main water shut-off valve is. If a pipe does burst, shutting off the water within minutes instead of hours can save you thousands of dollars in damage.

4. Keep Gutters and Downspouts Clear

Clogged or frozen gutters make ice dam problems much worse. If water cannot drain properly, it backs up and finds its way into your walls, soffit, and foundation.

What you can do:

Before the worst of the storm hits, carefully knock off any visible ice buildup near your downspouts if you can reach them safely from the ground.
Make sure downspout extensions direct water at least 4 feet away from your foundation.
After the storm passes, check that gutters have not pulled away from the fascia board. The weight of ice and snow can loosen gutter brackets and cause them to sag or detach entirely.

5. Test Your Sump Pump Now

When all of this snow starts melting over the coming days and weeks, that water has to go somewhere. If your basement relies on a sump pump, right now is the time to make sure it is working.

Quick checklist:

Pour a bucket of water into the sump pit. The pump should kick on automatically and drain it within seconds.
Check that the discharge pipe outside is not frozen or blocked by snow or ice.
If you do not have a battery backup sump pump, seriously consider getting one. Power outages during heavy storms are common in New Jersey, and your primary pump is useless without electricity.
If your sump pump has not been serviced in several years, this is a good time to replace it preventatively.

6. Clear Snow Away from Your Foundation

Snow piled up against your house is not just sitting there. As it melts, it pushes water directly against your foundation walls. This is one of the top causes of basement flooding after winter storms.

What to do:

Shovel snow at least 2 to 3 feet away from your foundation on all sides of the house.
Pay extra attention to basement window wells. Cover them or keep them clear of snow buildup.
Check that the ground around your home slopes away from the foundation, not toward it. Poor grading sends all that meltwater right into your basement.

7. Check Heating Vents and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

During heavy snow, heating systems are running overtime and exhaust vents can easily get buried under drifts.

Critical safety checks:

Walk around your home and make sure all exterior exhaust vents (furnace, dryer, water heater) are completely clear of snow. Blocked vents can cause carbon monoxide to build up inside your home, which is life-threatening.
Test all carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Replace batteries if you have not done so recently.
If you smell anything unusual or your CO detector goes off, get everyone out of the house immediately and call 911.
Never use a generator, charcoal grill, or camp stove indoors or in the garage, even with the door open. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills dozens of people every winter.

8. Document Any Damage for Insurance

If your home does sustain damage from this storm, good documentation is critical for getting your insurance claim approved and paid fairly.

Take photos and video of:

Snow levels and accumulation around your home, with something for scale
Any visible damage: leaks, water stains, cracks, ice dams, sagging rooflines
Damaged belongings if water gets inside
The timeline of when you noticed the damage

File your insurance claim as soon as possible. Many homeowner policies have time limits for reporting storm damage, and delays can result in denied claims.

Know When to Call a Professional

Some storm damage is too dangerous or complex to handle on your own:

Roof sagging or structural cracking — this is an emergency that needs immediate professional assessment
Active water leaks from ice dams — needs professional ice dam removal, not DIY chipping
Burst pipes with significant water damage — call a plumber and a water damage restoration contractor
Foundation cracking or basement flooding — needs professional evaluation to determine the cause and proper fix
Trees or branches on your roof — do not try to remove them yourself if they are large or near power lines

La Vaca General Contractors Is Here to Help

If this storm causes damage to your home, La Vaca General Contractors is here for Northern New Jersey homeowners. We handle everything from emergency storm repairs to full home renovations, including roofing, water damage restoration, structural repairs, basement waterproofing, and more.

We are licensed and insured (HIC# 13VH13373800) and have been serving homeowners across Bergen County, Passaic County, Essex County, and surrounding areas.

Call us at (201) 614-2068 for a free assessment. We respond quickly, especially during storm emergencies.

Stay safe out there, New Jersey. This storm is serious, but taking a few simple steps right now can save you thousands in repairs down the road.

NJ Snowstorm February 2026: How to Protect Your Home During 2 Feet of Snow