During winter, the roof is the unsung hero of the house. It protects the home and its inhabitants from harsh winters, terrible cold, and heavy snow. But this harbor undertaking has its most heartbreaking consequences: roof damage. This damage can take several forms, but here is how to spot that your roof is damaged.

1. Visual Inspection.

You can spot damage to your roof by visually inspecting it or drawing inferences from unusual things around the house. When it comes to visual Inspection, you should look out for the following:

• Wrecked Shingles.

When snow melts, it becomes water and can seep through the layers of your roofing during winter. His water that becomes logged between layers slowly starts to oversaturate the shingles, causing them to crack. In the case of metal shingles, due to extreme temperatures, the metal will begin to contract heavily and when this winter goes, the temperature rise will slowly cause the metal shingles to warp. This effect might not be evident during a seasonal change, but over time, these slight deformations will add to the roof’s evident damage.

• Blocked Gutters.

Winter doesn’t only bring snow and ice, it also carries with it dirt and debris. During winter, it isn’t uncommon for you to see your gutter clogged by ice, snow, or just animal carcasses and tree branches, and when winter goes and the ice thaws, some of these will still be left behind. And this is bad because gutters are an essential infrastructure that protects your roof and the entirety of the house from water damage. They do this by moving excess water to the ground away from the house. But if the gutter is free or is damaged, some of this water, either from rain or melting ice, can lead to roof damage. Always make sure to clear out your gutters during and after winter.

• Damage To The Sidings.

Sidings are basically wall claddings, mostly common in North America, that protect a home’s exterior from wind, heat, and cold. They serve the same function as roofing; the only difference is that they offer this protection to the house’s walls. But the reason why damaged sidings is one of what you should look out for is because it is often a foreboding of the roof being in a similar or worse situation. This can be due to damaged or clogged gutters or overall damage to the roof that causes water to seep into the siding and ruin it.

2. Drawing Inferences.

To draw inferences and predict roof damage, you’ve got to know just what harmful effects roof damage, especially after a harsh winter, will leave behind. Some of them are: 

• Mold Infestations.

Mold tends to grow in very damp spots in the house with minimal to no sunlight, and the best place fitting that description is the attic. Normally, there should be little of an infestation due to the presence of the roof, but when there is roof damage, then mold growth is sure to explode due to more moisture present.

• Pest Intrusion.

When your roof is damaged, insects and rodents can easily infiltrate your home. If you notice increased pest activity, you might need to check your roof for damage.

• Increase In Electricity Bills.

Another non-visual observation you can make is the temperature change within your home and its effects on your electricity bill. Roof damage, such as holes in the room, causes what is called infiltration in heat transfer, in which cold or hot air from outside messes with the internal temperature of the house. When this infiltration occurs, it will cause your electricity bill to skyrocket.

• Water Damage, Especially In The Attic.

Probably the most important inspection you can do within your house is to check for water damage, either from melted snow or rain seeping through the damaged parts of your roof. You can easily spot this water damage through discoloration, cracks in the ball, or mold growth. In much more extreme cases, this water can even soak parts of the house or flood it.

At the end of the day, after confirming all of these, you can take some DIY steps to mitigate it but it’s still best to get the eyes and hands of a pro on it. That’s why you’ve got to use Sunrise Exterior LLC, which has the best eyes and hands for roofing inspections and repairs.