Summer is here – time for cookouts, swimming in the pool and vacations! But it also means the arrival of severe, damaging storms. Before you are hit by a storm, be proactive. Review your Homeowner’s Insurance policy to make sure you are aware of what is covered, and document your home and personal property with photos and video.
Most homeowners fail to inspect their home after a storm, especially if there is no reason to suspect a problem, however that can be a costly mistake and a huge headache. To prevent bigger problems such as structural damage, mold and leaks, it is imperative to inspect all elements of the exterior of your home, starting with the roof.
Here is a checklist of what to look for on the outside:
Roof
- Loose or missing shingles or metal flashing
- Dented, torn or gouged shingles
- Holes from debris
- Tree limbs or other large debris on roof
Exterior Walls
- Dents or holes in siding
- Missing siding, soffit or fascia
- Cracks or splits
Windows and Doors
- Shattered or broken window panes
- Fogging between panes
- Damage to trim or frame
Damage can range from annoying to downright dangerous. If you find any damage, there are certain steps you need to take to secure your safety and make sure your home is restored to it’s prior condition. If the damage is severe, or there are dangerous conditions such as downed power lines or issues with a gas line or tree on a house, you will need to vacate the property immediately.
- Document the damage by taking pictures and video of both interior and exterior damage.
- Call in a contractor to inspect and tarp the damage so as to prevent further water intrusion. Do your homework and hire a local, reputable contractor, not a storm chaser who may not be properly licensed or insured for your area.
- Call your Homeowner’s Insurance Agent to file a claim for the damage. Your contractor may meet the adjuster at your home to assess the damage.
- Receive an estimate from the contractor for restoring your property.
- Communicate with your Insurance Agent regarding the Scope of Work for the repairs and what they are going to compensate you for. Most times homeowners have a deductible to meet.
- Coordinate with your contractor to have your property restored.
If you ever have the need for storm damage restoration, give Fichtner Services a call. We have experts on staff to help with the initial securing of your home, to the estimating, to the restoration process!
Thank You and Congratulations go out to Mrs. Lois Tuwiner of Riva!
CURLED & BUCKLED SHINGLES: Visibly distorted shingles are a clear signal that your roof has some age under its belt. Buckled shingles happen due to moisture in the attic space below that forces nails to push upwards and out of the roof’s exterior. This situation can leave your home exposed to the elements as well as making the shingles more susceptible to blowing off during strong winds.
TAR STREAKING & ALGAE FORMATION: Tar streaking and algae growth is caused by pesky bacteria eating through the shingle’s weatherproofing coating. Cheap shingle manufacturing companies often use fillers like limestone to keep the cost of shingles at a minimum. This algae will break down the limestone, resulting in a visible black streak that can lead to leaks if left unattended. Fichtner Services utilizes GAF, America’s #1 selling shingle roofing brand, GAF offers a Lifetime Warranty on ALL of their laminated roofing shingle lines!
GRANULES MISSING: Absent granules are a sign that your roof is quickly losing its weatherproofing capabilities. To check to see if you are missing granules, look to your gutters for granule accumulation when you clean them out. You can also check the area around your downspout for granules.
MOISTURE & MOLD: If your attic is not properly ventilated warm moist air from your home will rise and get trapped in the attic. This moisture condenses, gathering on the underside of the roof, and causing nails to rust and mold to form. If left long enough, this will lead the plywood to rot out and you’ll have to replace the entire roof.
MISSING SHINGLES: Dislodged shingles provide an open path for water, cold air, and pests to enter into your home.
ICE DAMS: If snow and ice remain for considerable periods of time on your gutters and first few feet of the roof, but melts off faster above, you will most likely encounter ice damming. When the snow melts from above and rolls down into the still frozen blockage, it causes a ponding effect. Be proactive before this causes water to enter your home in the next big blizzard! Adequate attic insulation prevents this uneven warming effect on the different parts of the roof while proper installation of an ice and water shield will prevent this from becoming a problem inside your home. Fichtner Services can handle both for you!
Farmer’s Almanac also released a similar prediction for most of the country earlier this year in their annual 2018 winter outlook. The popular guide went as far to earmark certain dates for us to expect heavy rain and snowfall along the Atlantic Seaboard this winter season. According to the Almanac, make sure you have plenty of hot cocoa and a warm blanket on the following dates: January 20-23, February 4-7, February 16-19, March 1-3, and March 20-23.
Don’t get stuck behind the eight-ball—resolving these issues now will save you money and prevent the hassle and stress of trying to make unexpected, last-minute repairs in hazardous conditions. The experts at Fichtner Services can survey your roof to prevent devastating ice dams, inspect the foundation for small cracks or openings that can expand in freezing temps and allow mice and other pests to get in, and a laundry list of other essential winter-proofing steps that might have never crossed your mind but will be glad that the Fichtner team has double and triple checked for you.
The burden of cold weather abuse is largely absorbed by your roof. The weight of accumulated snow and ice can be astronomical, freezing and thawing causes movement, and windy conditions can lift and tear at roofs. Typically, checking your roof requires perilously climbing that shaky ladder that’s been rusting away in your crawlspace. Thanks to Fichtner Services, there’s no need to put yourself through this dangerous exertion any longer. Our experts will clean off leaves and branches, trim overhanging tree limbs, and inspect for bulges, worn spots, or split seams that could lead to leaks during the winter months. Call today to get signed up for our Full Roof and Gutter Service before it’s too late!
The importance of free-flowing, leak-free gutters can’t be over-emphasized—they are integral to the overall health of the house, particularly the basement or crawlspace. If your eavestroughs can’t handle the rain or melting snow and ice, the ground will become soaked. If the ground is soaked around your house’s foundation, there is a substantially higher risk of a leaky basement—something you’ll undoubtedly want to avoid; especially in the winter! You can rest assured that the Fichtner experts will ensure you avoid this headache. With the expansion and contraction of aluminum gutters, debris clogging them up and weighing them down, it is important to have your gutters cleaned, tightened up and sealed at joints. We specialize in optimizing your gutters and downspouts to handle even the most torrential downpours—leaving you nice and dry all year long.
When the temperatures dip below freezing, there’s nothing worse for your comfort—not to mention your energy bill—than a drafty house. Checking you windows inside and out is an often-overlooked step in cutting down on the draftiness of your house. On the inside, and this might sound obvious, but check to make sure the windows are shut and locked all the way! I know at my house we like to open the windows in the fall for that fresh air. But sometimes when cool days turn to cold nights we just close the sash for the evening without locking it because we’re planning to open it the next day. Pretty soon it is too cold in the daytime as well and we’ve forgotten to LOCK the window tight. When the latch to that window is engaged, it completes the work for you in compressing that weather stripping and keeping the draft away. On the outside, make sure the caulk seals at the wall surface, such as siding or brick, to the window trim is nice and tight. If it is cracked or pulled away leaving a gap then you should re-caulk prior to the cold weather. This will prevent water intrusion that will later expand and contract in the freezing temperatures making the problem worse
For your doors, if your doors or storm door jiggles or doesn’t shut firmly, you’re losing that important seal to the outside. Storm doors have an insulating pocket of air between it and the exterior door so make sure those are tight. Most storm doors have an adjustable strike plate—the metal tab with a hole in it that’s mounted on the jamb—and simply moving it up or down a fraction of an inch can keep the door from blowing off its hinges in a strong gust of wind. You’ll also want to take a look at your door sweeps—the long metal or rubber extensions that are nailed on to close the gap between the bottom of the door and the flooring—and make sure they are installed correctly on basement and attic entries as well as on exterior doors. Don’t take a chance of missing a gap—here at Fichtner Services, we pride ourselves in our attention to detail, outstanding customer service, and affordable pricing. Stop in or give us a call today to make sure your home is in tip-top shape for the coming winter.
Obstructed or damaged gutters can lead to standing water, which can be filled with harmful mold from decomposing leaves and insects. Mold is common in wet climates and can cause a wide range of health complications if it finds its way inside your home—plus it’s tricky (not to mention expensive) to thoroughly clean up, so it’s best to prevent mold altogether
So exactly how often should you clean your gutters? The answer is: it depends. We would advise consulting our specialists routinely throughout the year—but there are a couple additional factors that could mean you need your gutters cleaned more often. If you have pine trees growing around your house, it is advisable to get your gutters cleaned more often. The pine needles shed year-round and can quickly lead to clogged-up gutters. If you are located at higher elevations or cold climate, you have to consider the threat posed by ice. Ensuring that your gutters are clear during the cold winter months can prevent significant roof damage caused by freezing.
