You love many things about living in Minnesota, but winter storms aren’t at the top of your list. In the Twin Cities area, winter brings many storms of whirling snow or pounding sleet. These storms can damage many features of your home, including your windows, doors, and roof.
After a storm, call a home improvement company to check all your home’s features.
What Experts Look For
Many home improvement companies offer free post-storm inspections. During this inspection, home improvement professionals look for the following types of storm damage.
Missing Roofing Features
A powerful storm can actually lift certain features away from your roof. This includes your roof’s fascia, which holds the gutter in place. It also includes the soffit, the feature that sits between the siding and the roofline. Home improvement professionals can repair or replace these damaged or missing features.
Ice Dams
After a snowstorm, ice can freeze at the edge of your roof, which prevents water and snow from draining from your roof. The trapped water causes damage to your ceiling, insulation, and walls. Home improvement professionals can remove the ice and snow from your roof. They can also improve the insulation in your roof and walls to prevent future ice dam damage.
Leaks
If you see water damage on your ceiling, you most likely need roofing repairs. But even if you don’t see obvious water damage, you might still have dangerous leaks in your roof and siding. A home inspection professional should examine every inch of your roofing and siding. If they notice rotting wood, mold, or other signs of water damage, they’ll need to repair or replace your materials.
Dents in the Roof
After a hailstorm, the most common type of damage you’ll see is dents on your roof. You may also see dents on your roof’s shingles, gutters, spouts, and vents. You might even have dents on your flashing, the metal strips that protect the seams in your roof from water damage. If your home has this type of damage, call roofing professionals to replace the damaged roofing features.
Chipped or Cracked Windows
Pounding hail and snow can cause chips and cracks in your windows. It can also damage the glazing, screens, and trim around the windows. Damage to your windows requires immediate repair because you don’t want cold air to enter your home. That would cause your home’s heating to work overtime, raising your utility bills.
Broken Shingles
The power of wind and snow can tear shingles from your roof, causing them to split and crack. It can even remove shingles directly from your roof. Home improvement companies can replace these missing or broken shingles. If a significant number have been damaged, they may need to replace the entire roof.
Mineral Granules in Your Gutters
If you see tiny mineral granules in your gutters, the storm most likely damaged your shingles. Shingle materials broke off and ran into your gutters. Your shingles will need repair or replacement.
Damaged Sealing Strip
A windy storm might lift your shingles and cause their sealing strip to break. This type of damage isn’t always obvious. It’s crucial that a professional check for it because it will cause your roof to leak over time.
Missing Siding
Just as your roof’s shingles can break off in a storm, your home’s siding can also tear away during a storm. A home improvement specialist can replace your siding with a stronger material that will weather future storms.
Damaged Doors
Snow, rain, and sleet can hit against your door, leaving dents or damaged wood behind. Glass doors can be particularly vulnerable to shattered glass and other dangerous types of damage. You may need a stronger door to protect your home against the next storm. Storm doors are built with storm-resistant materials. They’re also energy-efficient, which means they’ll save you on utility costs.
Water-Damaged Insulation
When heavy rain causes flooding near your home, rot and mold can build up in your insulation. A professional can replace this insulation to protect your home from further damage. Before a storm, angle your downspouts a few feet from your foundation so snow and rainwater drain away from your home.
The When and Why of Calling a Home Improvement Company
It’s crucial that you get your home inspected right away after a storm. If there is significant damage to your home, cold air will enter freely. This exposes your family to the elements and increases your utility bills. Plus, if you don’t get your home examined quickly, leaks might cause further damage to your home.
Another reason to call right away is so you can quickly file for an insurance claim. In fact, your insurance company probably has a time limit for making a claim.
Don’t be fooled by substandard door-to-door salesmen who come by after a storm, hoping to cash in on your home damages. Call a licensed and insured home improvement company to examine and repair your home after winter storm season.
