If you’re a homeowner you know how brutal the winters can be. From ice and snowstorms to sleet and wind, winter isn’t exactly kind to your exteriors. Now that the winter is winding down, it’s time to assess the damage that may have occurred to your home and get things fixed.
Here are some examples of the types of damage the winter may have done to your property.
Roof Leaks
In winter, it’s not uncommon for poor insulation and ventilation in your roof to encourage the infiltration of warm air that rises from the heated areas of your house to melt snow on the roof. That melted snow then drips to the colder edge of your roof, where it refreezes. That’s called an ice dam. If untreated, melting snow and moisture will keep building up behind it. It won’t refreeze in the warmer sections of your roof where it’s warmer, which means that water will seep under your shingles and lead to leaks.
This is why it’s important to have a roofing professional inspect your roof each spring to check for leaks and ice dam damage.
Fallen Gutters
Ice dams do more than just cause roof leaks. Those heavy blocks of ice also pull down your gutters. One solution is to install electric heating cables or heat tape along the colder areas of your roof. If the damage has already been done to your gutters, you will need to have a professional come out to repair or replace them, depending on the extent of damage.
Peeling Paint
Spring is a great time to touch up peeling areas of your exterior paint. Hopefully, you have some left over from a recent paint job. In regions with extreme temperature changes, small cracks can gather between the paint and your siding, causing the paint to blister and peel. Don’t leave your wood siding unprotected by paint or stain. Make sure all holes and cracks are touched up before spring.
Siding Damage
With painted wood siding, moisture that has built up between the paint and siding can lead to rot. Even if you have vinyl siding, this material can get cracked when debris or tree branches hit it during severe winter storms. Replace or repair the affected panels so moisture doesn’t get inside.
Pulled Caulking
Extreme temperature fluctuations can also make your caulking pull away from your windows, which results in gaps where warm air can escape and cold air can get in. Inspect your windows and doors each spring and seal them up so you don’t see a spike in energy bills.
Mold Growth
Melting ice, snow, and warm indoor temperatures provide the perfect storm for mold growth in the attic where condensation forms. Proper insulation and ventilation systems are necessary to ensure mold doesn’t set up shop.
Foundation Cracks
Your foundation may develop cracks as it settles over time. In winter, water gets into those small cracks, expanding and contracting with every freeze/thaw. As you can imagine, this is very costly to repair. Staying on top of those small cracks now will save you a lot of money and headache later.
Frozen Pipes
Water pipes located in cold areas of your home, such as the basement and attic, are prone to freezing in the winter. When water freezes and then expands inside pipes, this action causes tiny leaks at the joints and larger cracks along the pipe itself. When that ice thaws, it bursts the pipe and causes flooding. Always winterize exposed pipes before winter and keep the thermostat at consistent temperatures throughout the day and night.
Contact Allstar Construction for Spring Home Repairs
Hire the pros at Allstar to inspect your home for winter damage and make the necessary repairs before spring hits. You can fill out our online form or call (701) 315-8150 for more info.
