Spring thaws mean leaky roofs

[werlentumix]

Posted: 3/28/14 at 5:30am

After a particularly unusual and harsh winter, people all over the country are rejoicing at the arrival of warmer weather. But along with all the joy that comes with spring weather comes more roofing woes. Often it isn't until spring when problems with your roof manifest themselves. When the snow and ice melts is when roof leaks are discovered. This isn't the first time this winter that warmer weather has caused a lot of roofing troubles. Roofers across the nation found themselves bombarded with calls whenever a warm bit of weather followed a long cold spell.

With spring approaching here are a few things you should know about taking care of your roof.

It may not be a leak

First here is some good news. What you might think is a leak could actually be something less harmful. If you notice a lot of moisture on the roof of your attic you might think you've got a leak but it's also likely that it's just condensation. Just as water beads up on the outside of a cold glass of water, water can accumulate on the inside of your attic without there being a leak. When the warm air inside your attic rises to the cold underside of your roof, the moisture in the air condensates and gives you the impression that you've got water getting through your roof when in reality the water is coming from inside.

While it's not as big a problem as a roof leak, water condensing inside your home can still cause some water damage and you'll probably want to get the problem fixed. Condensation in your attic space is caused by warm air in your attic. This can be fixed by reinsulating your attic.

If you have reason to believe you do have a roof leak however, call a roofing company right away to come take a look. The longer a roof leak goes unrepaired, the more costly it will be in the long run.

Ice dams

Another issue that's been keeping roofers busy this winter is ice dams. Roof shingles are designed to shed water from top to bottom but they aren't designed to fare well in standing water. When warm weather melts the snow and ice, that water refreezes at the edge of the roof when the temperatures drop at night. These ice dams along the bottom edge of the roof can trap anywhere from 30-50 gallons of water on your roof.

If you notice your rain gutters are becoming blocked with ice or if you have icicles forming along the edge of your roof you'll want to clear away that ice as soon as possible to make a way for that melting snow and ice to make it off your roof before it can cause serious damage to your shingles.

Home improvement news brought to you by bartonroof.com

Source: lacrossetribune.com/jacksoncochronicle/news/local/roofs-feel-strain-of-harsh-winter/article_9fc6e0df-0e1e-582f-b715-dc36857936b7.html

Updated On: 3/28/14 at 05:30 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/28/14 at 7:33am

I knew a girl who had a leaky roof once.

It was a MESS and then she died.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 3/28/14 at 8:54am