After the winter comes the spring, and as usual, our roofs have to be maintained in preparation for every new season. Most roofing companies say the spring season is not different. This season gives way to the reduction in the amount of snow, which, in turn, gives way for rain and green leaves.
Unlike the autumn and the winter season, the spring season doesn’t come with roofing damages. Instead, spring is the season where all the internal damages that happened during the other seasons become manifest. It is during the spring season that some homeowners finally repair their long-overdue roof damages.
During the spring season, days become longer, the temperature becomes warmer, and the rains start to fall. This period is both a relief and a burden to homeowners. It is a relief because the pressure and cold that comes during winter is now a thing of the past. It is a burden because this is the period when homeowners have to spend money to repair and maintain their homes.
Five different roof problems that occur during the spring season will be listed and explained in this article. Read through it and get more enlightened on what you should do when spring comes.
Five roofing problems occur during the spring season.
- Damaged roof: due to the harsh weather that is usually associated with the winter, a roof may be damaged before spring comes. A damaged roof may be caused by missing or broken shingles, broken roof flashings, damaged vents of chimneys, crack in the skylight, or any other damages. These damages may have also been caused by a massive storm, a hailstone, or any other harsh weather conditions. During spring, homeowners are advised to go up to their roofs or call a professional roofer to go up to their roofs and check for damages. A roof might look good but may have internal damages that, when not repaired early enough, may cause worse damages. The Spring season is the best time for those repairs.
- The roof starts leaking: roof leaks are the major roof problems that occur during the springtime. This is because, during the winter, the cold weather caused snow to build upon the roofs. During snowing, the roof may have experienced some leaks, but these leaks don’t show until the spring season. The spring season comes with more sunlight, this sunlight will, in turn, melt the snow. This melted snow now causes roof leaks and gets into the house. Like I said earlier, roof problems that occur during the spring are usually problems that were hidden during winter.
- Chimney starts to weaken: chimneys that deteriorate are usually old chimneys or chimnies of houses that have stood for a long time. These chimneys deteriorate when their walls crack and are filled up with water. This occurs when sunlight melts snow, this melted snow now fills the cracks in the walls of chimneys, and they start to deteriorate. The cracks in the walls of chimneys can also occur due to the low temperature of the winter season. Well, it still boils down to the season before spring, the winter. These cracks open during the winter, sunlight during the spring season melts snow, which runs into those cracks and further damages them. In extreme conditions, these chimneys, if not well taken care of or maintained, could fall off.
- Animal invasion: as living things, animals also tend to look for shelter from harsh weather that occurs during the winter season. Sometimes these shelters of theirs may be corners in our roofs. Homeowners don’t usually know when this happens. These animals stay through the winter season, and when spring comes, they are relieved like you and me and start hunting for food. This is when a homeowner usually notices that he/she has roommates in his or her basement or attic. If you notice that animals like birds, squirrels, etc. live in your attic, you are advised to call the animal removal service to remove them and take them to where they are supposed to be. When you do this, you have to call a professional roofer to come and inspect your roof for any damages that were caused by those animals.
- Blocked gutters: the problem of a blocked roof gutter shouldn’t be an issue during spring unless a homeowner did not clear their gutter before winter came. The fallen autumn leaves before winter might block the roof gutter. Therefore, homeowners are advised to clear their gutters before winter comes. However, if for one reason or another, you did not clear your gutter before winter, then know that you have to do that during the spring season. If your roof gutter is blocked, rainwater will not be transported to your house’s primary drainage system, which may, in turn, lead to roof leaks.
Prevention is better than cure, is a saying that applies not only in medicine but in all aspects of life, including roofing. Maintaining a roof is cheaper and more stress-free than repairing it or replacing it. Try as much as you can, if you are a homeowner, to prepare your roof before every season.
