Although Minnesota’s inland position makes it less prone to natural disasters like hurricanes and tidal waves, the North Star State is also known for some of the most extreme weather conditions in the country. According to some, the most severe winters in the US occur in Minnesota. And with bad weather comes the challenge of maintaining your buildings’ exterior structures, especially the roofs.
Read on for the details of how adverse weather conditions can affect your roof and some tips to help you minimize the damage. We’ve also highlighted the benefits of working with a professional storm damage restoration company.
Schedule Your Storm Damage Restoration Assessment Today!
What Kinds of Weather can Affect Your Roof?
Minnesota experiences the full range of weather changes occasioned by various seasons. From hot summers to frigid winters, roofs here endure a lot to keep us dry and warm. Some of the weather conditions that may damage your roof in Minnesota include:
Rain Can Cause Rood Damage
Most homeowners downplay the danger rainwater poses to roofs because rain is a common phenomenon. However, consistent, heavy downpours can cause a wide range of damages—from hidden leaks into the attic to loosening shingles and even blowing off entire roofs. You should conduct regular inspections, especially in seasons of heavy showers, to ensure that water is flowing off the roof correctly. If allowed to stagnate, rainwater can trigger moisture damage on wooden structures and roof tiles. Regular checkups can also help you identify lose shingles and other minor issues that may eventually wreak havoc on the entire roof.
Sun Exposure and Roof Damage
As is with rain, the possibility of the sun causing havoc on roofs is often overlooked. Roofs are exposed to UV rays most of the time, and it even gets worse in summer. Overexposure to UV rays can cause tiles, wooden parts, and shingles to become brittle and crack. Even sun-resistant roofing systems in the market today are still susceptible to UV rays. Extreme heat from the sun can also cause roofing materials to expand and contract, eventually triggering cracks and leakages.
Wind Can Cause Rood Damage
While Minnesota is generally safe from hurricanes, it still experiences strong winds in winter. The truth is that winds don’t need to be high and heavy to damage roots. Even consistent, moderate winds can gradually loosen shingles and leave the roof more susceptible to other adverse weather elements. That’s why you should not wait for a windstorm to inspect your roof; regular checkups can help you identify and correct these minor issues before they aggravate into actual damages.
Snow and Minnesota Winters and Roof Damage
You should inspect your roof after snowstorms and clear any ice buildups. Snow can damage your roof in several ways—triggering moisture damage, seeping into the attic, or breaking the gutter with its burdening weight. You should especially be wary of ice dams, small ice ridges that occur at the edge of the roof. They usually melt, infiltrate beneath the shingles, and refreeze and may make your house overly cold.
Hail Causes Roof Damage in Minnesota
Although not as common in Minnesota, hailstorms are also very dangerous to roofs. They can sometimes be even more severe than the rain. Heavy, fast-hitting hailstorms can break or gradually wear down shingles. You may never notice the damage until it’s the rainy season and you begin experiencing several leaks.
What Damage Do You Look For in Different Kinds of Weather Events?
When bad weather conditions occur, roofs are often the first and most affected parts of any building. That’s because it’s the roof that withstands most of the brunts of an adverse wind. Here are some common roof damages to look out for:
Mold or Moss and Rood Damage
Freezing rain can cause mold and mosses to grow on or beneath your roofs. This usually occurs if there’s an ice build-up in your gutters or along any other water paths, causing rainwater to stagnate and freeze on the roof. Even just a few inches of stagnant water is enough to encourage the growth of molds and mosses. These plants create a moist environment which promotes the rotting of wooden structures. In extreme circumstances, the frozen water may seep into the attic and interfere with the electrical wiring. Stagnated ice can also loosen roof shingles. Such damages affect both flat and slanted roofs.
Loosened Shingles and Roof Damage
Strong winds are prevalent in Minnesota, especially during winters. They can loosen roof shingles or blow them off entirely. It doesn’t get any better if the winds are accompanied by sleet or hail; the ice chunks will weaken the shingles and enable the wind to carry them off without much of a hassle.
Roof Damage Can Look Like Weak or Cracked Wooden Parts
Wooden structures support most slanting roofs. In circumstances where the roofs are unshaded, they are exposed to UV rays. Overexposure to the sun, especially during the hot summer months, can cause the wooden parts to shrink, overexpand, dry out, weaken, and eventually crack. UV rays may also cause roof tiles to buckle, slit, loosen, and even fall off in worst-case scenarios.
Wind Can Cause Roof Damage
Although not common, strong winter winds can also blow off parts of or entire roofs. Depending on how well it was fixed, the roof may be blown away in a one-time storm or event or after adverse weather has gradually loosened up the supporting shingles.
Why Do You Need a Professional Storm Damage Restoration Company to Help you The Repairs?
Sometimes, roof damage caused by adverse weather may not be easy to spot. A professional storm damage restoration company brings experience on board. At Elysian, for example, we have worked with hundreds of homeowners to repair damaged roofs. So, our experts know what to look out for and just the correct remedy to apply.
The other reason is that a professional storm damage restoration company has the relevant expertise. Because this is our job, we must regularly train our professionals to keep them abreast with emerging threats. Unless you are an expert in this field, you may not have some of these skills.
Elysian offers free non-obligation storm damage assessment to all clients. We extensively train our staff and pride ourselves in years of delivering the best storm damage restoration services to Minnesota residents. Contact Us today, and let’s discuss how to repair your property and avert future damages.