You first notice discoloration on the ceiling in your kitchen. Maybe it’s just grease or condensation. You try to clean it off and notice it feels wet to the touch. Oh no! Your roof is leaking! Or maybe not. How is one to know?

For any household leak, keep in mind water flows down from the highest point, so the first step in the investigation is to check the space above the leak. If that’s your attic, inspect it during daylight so if there are any holes or cracks in your roof, you can see sunlight peeking through them. Also, bring a flashlight so you can see well enough to detect moisture above your problem spot, both in the attic ceiling and along the floor. Finally, look for pipes running above or near the leaky area. Inspect them to see if they are wet to the touch or the area around them is wet.

Plumbing Leak?
It is possible the problem is not your roof; it could be a pipe that has come loose, lost its seal, or is cracked. Pipe leaks don’t happen just in the attic. For example, if there is a bathroom above the leak stain, your toilet could be leaking, or the drain in the bathtub may not be sealed tight.

Gutter Overflow?
If you don’t find any obvious signs in the attic, observe whether the discolored area on your ceiling dries. Then, when it rains, check to see if it is wet to the touch again. This could indicate your gutters are clogged or leaking, which can spill over water into your walls and ceiling.

Standing and overflowing water rots the wooden fascia the gutters are installed on, which creates leaks and even mold in your home. To check for cracks in your gutters, besides the visually obvious, look for streaks or stains on your siding behind and under the gutters, or if your house is painted, look for peeling paint in the same area.

Roof Top?
If you still need clarification on your persistent leaky spot, the top of your roof needs to be inspected for missing or loose shingles, air vents that have come loose, or improperly sealed flashing around the chimney or ventilation pipes.

If you have ruled out a plumbing issue, have found your gutters have created roof rot, or would like a professional roof inspection, contact Town Corners Roofing and Exteriors to solve the leaky spot mystery and stop it!

It’s chilly in your house, even for Winter. Yet, you keep turning up the heat, so you inspect your roof. It appears to be undamaged, so what’s causing this chaos?

It could be your siding.

Winters in West Michigan throw a lot of harsh elements at your siding, which can put your whole house in worse condition.

Vinyl and Wood Siding
When temperatures are freezing, the particles in vinyl paint contract and become brittle. It’s likely to crack if it gets hit with flying debris; then, if snow falls in the cracks, it will freeze and expand the gaps in a cycle.

Once it starts to warm up, the vinyl particles expand. Panels may warp or split, allowing snow and ice to seep in. Then, water could dissolve the wood underlayer and cause rotting, a ticket for a moldy home. So, at this point, you should hire a contractor for repairs.

Loose Panels
Houses in West Michigan have to endure extremely harsh winds in the winter. They shoot up the sides and can loosen the panels, letting moisture in the openings. Additionally, your insulation could become exposed, which leads to a freezing house, higher energy bills, and water damage.

Dents and Holes
Winter weather hazards can cause flying debris to put holes and dents in your siding. While dents are only nasty for curb appeal and home value, holes are another risk for cold air, increased utility bills, and water damage.

Contact Town Corners for a FREE estimate for new siding installation when you see cracking, warping, splitting, loosening, dents, and holes!​

What’s up with all this water damage in the Winter? It probably has to do with your roof.
In the season of frigid temperatures and inclement weather, roofs go through a lot. Use this guide to learn how to maintain your roof during Winter and prevent further deterioration.

Inspecting the Wreckage
There are plenty of visible signs that Winter weather is hurting your roof; look for the following:

• Layers of packed snow
• Cracked or separated flashing
• Shingle granules in the gutter
• Loose, dented, or fallen gutters
• Missing, curling, or lifting shingles
• Wet spots or dripping on the ceiling
• Sticky doors and cracked drywall, which indicate structural distress
• Ice dams

Read on to see how and when you can take snow, ice, and wind yourself!

Snow and Ice
The first issue with snow and ice is that it puts a lot of pressure on your roof. This is dangerous for your home's structure. They can melt within layers of your roof, causing blisters. When ice accumulates, it causes cracks to expand. If this goes unnoticed, it will reduce the lifespan of your roof.

So how can you prevent this? With a roof rake! Starting in the area with the most snow, place the rake three feet above the eave. Then, gently rake the snow towards you until it falls off the edge. Work your way along the edge of the roof. Then, move the rake six feet up and start over. Repeat this process until you can’t go any higher.

Ice Dams
Ice dams cause those pretty little icicles drooping from your roof. Unfortunately, they’re a significant hazard. Ice dams and Icicles can fall on your visitors, rip off the eaves, and deteriorate shingles and decking. They may also cause roof sags and leaks.

On your own, the only effective way to melt the ice is chemical:

1. Fill a nylon pantyhose stocking with calcium chloride.
2. Use a rake to place it perpendicular to the roof edge. The calcium chloride will melt a channel in the ice for water to drain off the roof.
3. You can purchase products like Roof Melt at your local hardware store for a less DIY method.

The long-term fix for ice dams is fixing the cause, which could be either poor insulation or insufficient ventilation. Ice dams are caused when warm air from your attic hits a cold ceiling beam near the roof’s edge. The melting snow running down from the roof’s apex then freezes as it tries to pass the chilled beam underneath, which causes an overflow of icicles and a backup of ice on your roof.

Wind
In West Michigan, harsh winds threaten homeowners with leaky roofs and injured gutters, shingles, and flashing.

Windy weather roof maintenance involves trimming surrounding trees that may fall in the gutters. The maintenance you may want to call in a roofer for would be replacing any rusted step flashing and cracked, rotted, or missing siding. The new pieces must overlap the step flashing by at least two inches. Additionally, you can use a putty knife to check the seal on your walls around doors and windows. If there is any faulty caulk, replace it.

If you need to replace just a few shingles, remove the seal, remove the nails, and take off the shingle. Then, put the new one in place. Hammer in the nails and seal the shingle. But, it may be best to have a thorough roof inspection in case the missing shingles you found are only part of a more significant unforeseen problem.

Now you know how to spot signs of winter roof damage and what you can do to prevent further damage. For persistent problems, it is best to inspect your roof for the cause, which, left unchecked, can result in disastrous outcomes. Simply call Town Corners Roofing and Exteriors for a FREE inspection and estimate and get some peace of mind for this Winter and the ones to come!​