7 Signs of Winter Damage on Your Home to Look Out For

A home’s exterior can suffer major damage from winter’s snow and cold. The winter months usually bring about several very common problems, such as damage to roofs, foundations, and pipes. A well-informed insurance agent can use this list to assist their clients in checking their homes for damage and provide an estimate of costs to address these common problems following the winter:

1. Roofing

Snowstorms and ice dams can wreak havoc on your roof. During snowmelt, the melting water runs to the edge, freezes, and then runs back into the roof, causing leaks and shingle deterioration. In addition, high winds, hail, and winter storms can tear away shingles or move moisture beneath them, further damaging the roof.
To prevent a complete roof replacement, you need to fix leaks in your roof.

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Cover the damaged area with a tarp to minimise the damage until the roof can be repaired. Water can back up beneath the shingles if ice dams are not removed as soon as possible. Remove snow from the roof as quickly as possible to avoid future problems. As well as preventing ice dams in the future, consider getting better attic insulation.

2. Gutters

Your roof and gutters can both be damaged by ice dams. As a result, heavy ice can pull gutters away from the roofline if it builds-up on the edge. Likewise, if the water within gutters and downspouts freezes, some separation may occur, requiring gutter replacement.

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When the weather turns cold, it is essential to clean the gutters and remove ice dams as soon as possible. PVC gutters and downspouts are less expensive than aluminium or copper, but you should choose the colour that best matches the style of your home. To prevent gutter problems in the winter, consider getting heating elements to melt the ice in your gutters. It is easy to install gutter screens yourself to save money on future installation costs.

3. Exterior of the house

A house’s exterior can also be damaged by cold, snow, and hail. Paint can peel, and if your siding is exposed too long, moisture can seep through, causing the wood to rot and requiring future repairs. You can prevent these problems by painting your exterior in the spring.

In addition to adding aesthetic value to your home, using multiple colours can also increase the cost. Having several architectural elements, corners, and trim to paint will also increase the price.

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To avoid repainting soon, scrape the existing surfaces well, then apply a primer and two coats of paint. Paint can be applied to aluminium siding and fibre cement siding to freshen up the colours and give a home a new look without replacing the siding.

4. Siding

When the paint has peeled enough on the house’s siding, moisture can start to seep in, resulting in decayed wood. Furthermore, hailstones or falling tree limbs can damage siding, causing aluminium siding to dent or vinyl siding to crack. The siding on your home acts as your first line of defence, so you need to repair it as soon as possible.

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It costs between $40 and $50 per hour to hire a carpenter to fix siding. You can save a lot of money if you do the repairs yourself. During restorations, aluminium and vinyl are frequently replaced. Shop around to find the best colour match so you won’t have to replace as much. If wood siding needs to be repaired, the new section must almost always be painted. It is possible to save money by doing it yourself.

5. Driveway Repairs

One seldom-recognized problem that could arise during those frigid winter months is driveway damage. Over time, small cracks develop on driveways, and water can easily get into those cracks. The frozen water expands when it freezes, causing a phenomenon known as frost heave. Cracks, as well as potholes in your driveway, are caused by frost heaves, making just getting home a miserable experience. In addition to correcting these issues, paving your driveway can help you prevent further damage by removing those small cracks.

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You may encounter higher costs if your driveway has a lot of curves or grades.
By sealing cracks before they have a chance to grow, you can prevent potholes and major cracks from developing in an existing driveway.

The cost of filling a driveway with gravel is lower, but the small stones can get scraped off and create potholes over time. Asphalt might, therefore, be a better long-term option for paving a driveway, saving you money over time.

6. Cracks in the foundation

In addition to cracks and potholes in driveways, a freeze/thaw cycle can also affect a foundation. As a home settles over time, hairline cracks can develop in the concrete and grow larger during the winter months, causing major structural issues if they are not addressed in time.

The spring is an ideal time to repair a foundation and prevent more problems later. Costs can be affected by the need for an inspection, how widespread the damage is, and what types of repairs may be needed. Small cracks that only require sealing can cost as little as a few hundred dollars, while major cracks require more extensive work.

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For extensive foundation work, get quotes from at least three different repair companies so that you can compare pricing. It is important to remember that foundation work can affect landscaping. There may be a need to replace nearby shrubs or plants after the work is complete.

While foundation work is being conducted, a trench for installing a well pump can be dug simultaneously. This can prevent problems such as flooding. Ensure you inspect your foundation each spring and seal any cracks you find to prevent more extensive work down the road.

7. Trees

When a winter storm hits, your home isn’t the only place that could be damaged. Your trees could also suffer damage. High winds and heavy snow can cause tree limbs to break, power lines to come down, siding to be damaged, and generally wreak havoc on your landscaping. It is important to have your trees trimmed to prevent this type of damage and to keep them looking great.

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You can often get free tree trimming done by allowing the company to cut down a certain number of trees on your property for their own use if you have a lot of trees on your property. Be sure that the company you hire is a member of the Tree Care Industry Association to ensure that the job will be done correctly. Workers wearing spike-soled shoes should not be allowed on your property, as they may damage the trees. It is a good idea to contact your utility company before hiring someone to perform the work, as some companies will trim trees situated near power lines for no charge.

Keep your home in good condition

It is important to take care of winter damage as soon as possible to prevent it from becoming worse. If any damage has occurred to your home, be sure to have it inspected both in the fall and spring to get it repaired.

While cleaning up debris, you may find it necessary to get a disposal bin. Contact Gorilla Bins for garbage bin rental prices. We specialise in garbage bins, and we have a variety of sizes for every type of disposal needed.

It is best to take care of minor issues before winter to prevent larger ones later, and after the cold weather has passed, you can take care of any damage.

To learn more about the signs of winter damage and how to spot them, call Gorilla Bins at 877-700-2467 or contact us here.