Each year when the weather gets warmer, savvy homeowners will make time to evaluate their home for any problems that occurred over the winter. It’s important to look for problems that cold temperatures and heavy snow and ice may have caused to the systems of your house.

The first place to start is the roof. Check for bent, cracked, or missing shingles, slates, or tiles. Look for damage to the metal flashing in roof valleys and around your chimney, soil stack, and other protrusions through the roof. These problems should be addressed by a roofer before water leaks through and rots out the framing underneath. Also, make sure the roofing material  is still intact on any “flat” roofs atop porches or shed-type garages.

Check your gutters, too. (Don’t forget the gutter on your garage.) Remove any accumulated debris, and make sure the gutters are still connected securely. (Read more….)