Michael Murphy- Vice President
Its almost that time again! Soon the sun will stay out a little longer, the air will start to warm, the birds will start chirping, the trees will fill with leaves, the grass will start to green, flowers will bloom, and all will be well. Its Spring time, and the harsh winter is over.
But what about your roof? Did those ice dams and icicles do any damage? How old is your roof? When will you need a new one? Is there anything that should be taken care of before something starts leaking? How do you know if there’s an issue if you don’t inspect your roof?
Spring roof inspections and preventative maintenance are vital to the longevity of your roof. With Michigan’s harsh winters, roofs can take a beating. Ice dams and snow loads can damage shingles and the cold temps can wreak havoc on flashings, sealants, masonry, chimneys, etc. my getting a roof inspection, these issues can be found and fixed before something bad happens.
When we get cold temps and lots snow, it is not uncommon to see icicles. They may look pretty as they hang off of your eave, but they are actually part of a bigger problem. They are caused by Ice dams, which can damage your roof. As snow accumulates on your roof, the under layers start to melt due to the heat from your home rising through your attic and under the roof decking. As the snow melts and turns to water, it runs down your roof to your eave, where there is no heat. The water re-freezes and starts to build up. As this ice builds up, the water that is still running down your roof starts to pool and pushes its way underneath your shingles. This can cause delamination to the granules on your shingles as well as the tar strip. It can cause your shingles to tear and rip, you may even notice missing shingles. This can be alarming in the Spring when the damage is uncovered. However, this is only what your eye can see. The winter can cause much more damage to your roof.
As temperatures dip, existing moisture found in and around flashings, sealants, masonry, and chimneys freezes and expands. This can cause flashings to fail, sealants to lift, masonry to crumble and chimneys to leak. However, these issues are all correctable.
By getting a Spring inspection completed along with the recommended preventative maintenance, all of these issues can be uncovered and repaired before they cause damage to your home. Even though your roof is not leaking, that does not mean that it is functioning as it should. This is why a seasoned expert in roofing is needed to insure these issues are found and fixed. You will be glad you called before rather than later. Spending a few hundred dollars now can save you several thousand dollars in insulation replacement, carpentry, drywall, electrical, paint, trim, as well as the roofing issues that originally cause the damage. Save yourself the trouble and call Starrs Roofing today to schedule your roof inspection. We will report our findings to you with the recommended repairs and costs. You will be glad you did.
