This winter was a huge one with heavy snowfall and low temperatures. It has been one of the coldest and snowiest winters in a long time. Here in Minnesota, as in many areas around the country, it has donea number on many homes, including their roofs.
Minneapolis and St. Paul MN roofing contractors are expecting an increase in their businesses as the weather starts to slowly warm up and people start noticing these problems. A lot of times the damage from the winter can be found around pipes, chimneys and skylights on the roof. Any area that penetrates the roof is likely to have suffered some sort of damage. The snow builds up around these areas and is able to melt during the day and freeze at night, causing constant freeze and melt cycles that cause damage on the roof.
You might also notice problems in the valleys on the roof where snow and ice is able to build up, as well as at the roof edge above the gutter. These icy patches and ice dams can cause the shingles and gutters to become ruined. The damage is usually not noticed until the snow and ice starts to thaw out. Usually an emergency repair call is made when there is a ceiling leak or missing shingles are noticed as the snow melts. Some of the calls we get are due to people cleaning the ice dams and snow off the roofs themselves because they have inadvertently damaged their roofs.
A lot of times homeowners will skip the roof repairs that are needed to be done due to economic reasons. However, after this past winter a lot of people are already putting in their calls to get their roofs fixed. Keep in mind that roof damage isn't always easily noticeable, but there are telltale signs of roof damage that an experienced roofing contractor will notice.
If the winter damaged the roof that you own, consider these things:
- Do not get on the roof yourself; this can cause further damage, and there are safety precautions that have to be done in order to get on and off safely. Hire a contractor to do the check for you.
- Hire a reputable roofing contractor for the work that needs to be done. This is because you do not want to work with scammers or any company that is new and trying to squeeze every penny out of you because you've got an emergency situation. Make sure to check the status of their license.
- Many roofing companies (including Quarve) offer free roof inspections. You can find out what your roof needs without it costing you anything for the information. Then you're in a position to evaluate repairs or replacement.
- Make sure to check the inside of the home for these leaks. You should look for water or water spots, and always check the attic.
- Having repairs might not be very cheap, but consider the cost of having to replace the whole roof. This can come at a much bigger price tag. Often if damage is caught and repairs are made in time, the roof can be restored to usefulness without a complete replacement. But this will depend on the remaining life of the roof and the extent of the repairs. Generally we recommend that if more than 1/3 of the roof is damaged that you consider a replacement.
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