How to Inspect Your Roof for Winter Damage

As you prepare for spring it is important to keep in mind your home. It is understandable if the last thing on your mind for the spring season is damage your roof may have endured over the past winter. However, inspecting your roof for winter damage could save you and your home from taking more detrimental damage down the road. At North Shore Roofing, we care about you and your home. That is why we want to share a quick guide on how you can inspect your roof for winter damage and assess whether or not professional help is needed.

Have a Plan

While some roofing problems require professional care, you do not have to be a professional to take initiative in caring for your home. The first step in inspecting your roof for winter damage is to have a plan and carry it out in a safe manner. You will want to check for both interior and exterior damage to your roof. By doing this, you can assess any level of damage and carefully consider whether you want to contact a professional for help.

Interior Damage

 The easiest way to spot any signs of winter damage to your roof is from the inside of your home. Water damage is one of the most common types of damage and is relatively easy to identify. Many people believe the only way you can do this is by finding those dark, wet, splotches across the ceiling of your home, or seeing puddles of water dripping from your roof, but there are other methods of identification. Water damage has a distinct, musty, smell that will be present, even if you cannot see any damage yet through your ceiling. It will smell stale and resemble mold. Another sense you can utilize in your inspection is that of sound. A great way to do this is to sit quietly in your home and listen for any noises of running or dripping water, wind, or creaking floorboards. All of which are classic signs that there may be an issue with your roof.

Exterior Damage

If your interior assessment is inconclusive, the next step is to inspect your roof for exterior damage. To do this, you must use a ladder. Lean the ladder against the side of your home and slowly climb to the top. Do this only after you make sure the ladder is secured properly and it is safe to climb up. Look around the roof for any cracked, missing, broken, warped, or loose shingles that need to be repaired. The change in temperature may have caused some shingles to raise up of buckle.

Contact a Professional

The best-case scenario is that you inspect your home and find that your roof is in great shape, however, this is not always the case. When you happen to find damage to your roof, it is best to contact a professional. At North Shore Roofing, we have consistently serviced the Greater Boston area for 30 years. If this happens to you, do not hesitate to contact us with your roofing needs. You can reach us by phone at (978) 977-3816 or visit us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/NorthShoreRoofingMA