We’ve previously provided information on how to prepare your roof for winter and how to perform different kinds of winter roofing maintenance, such as removing snow and preventing ice dams from forming on your roof. What happens if you’ve done everything you could to prep your roof for winter and it roof still gets damaged from cold elements? How do you even know if your roof has been damaged during winter? This article will cover the different signs that your roof has been damaged from winter.
How Do I Check My Roof?
It’s important to stay safe when checking the status of your roof. Before grabbing a ladder or getting on your roof, check your roof from the ground with a pair of binoculars. It’s also a good idea to check your yard for shingles or roof debris.a
Checking Your House Exterior
When checking your shingles, look for those that are buckled, curled, blistered or cracked. The fluctuating temperatures from winter weather, snow and ice can cause your shingles to warp and get dislodged from your roof, causing water to leak into your home. Check for open spots in your roof where a shingle may have fallen out.
How are your gutters? Check your gutters to ensure they’re still intact and connected to your house, and that they’re not clogged from asphalt granules. Be sure to clear out your gutters and replace any sections that have been ripped or dinged from branches. Check the metal flashing and other aspects of your roof for small dings and rusts, which can lead to other damages if ignored. Are the rubber boots of your vent pipes cracked or damaged? Is moss or lichens growing around your roof?
Should I Look Inside My House?
It can be difficult to determine the level of damage to your roof just by looking at it from the outside. This is why it’s important to check for roof damage from the inside of your house. If your roof has been damaged, you can usually see resulting water and other damages on your ceiling; check for dark spots around your ceiling. Here is a list of places to check from inside your house:
- Peeling paint near your ceiling, along your walls, and under overhangs
- Stains and discoloration on your siding
- Dampness or cracked plaster cracking on your wall or fireplace
- Water stains on vents and pipes from your furnace
- Sagging roof and wood in your attic
Winter elements can be very damaging to your roof and can potentially cause thousands of dollars of repairs if damage isn’t caught and fixed in time. The professionals at Exterior Remodel & Design are experienced and specially educated to find problems, and repair or replace any issues troubling your roof. Schedule a roof inspection with our team today at (402) 861-0000 or complete our contact form.