Gutters tend to bear the brunt of harsh winter weather, and come spring, gutters are in need of inspection, if not repair.

Winter winds, snow and heavy rainfall can compromise the effectiveness of gutters, which can easily accumulate debris and detach from homes during winter storms.

In addition, gutters sometimes develop leaks over the winter months. As a result, homeowners should conduct a careful inspection of their gutters in the spring, being sure to look for leaks while clearing the gutters of debris and reattaching gutters that might have become detached from the home on windy winter days and nights.

When reattaching loose gutters, make sure the downspouts are draining away from the foundation, as gutters that are not draining properly can cause damage to that foundation and possibly lead to flooding.

Much like its gutters and downspouts, a home’s roof can suffer significant damage over the course of a typical winter.

Shingles may be lost to harsh winter winds and storms, so homeowners should examine the roof to determine if any shingles were lost or suffered damage that’s considerable enough to require replacement.

Summer can be especially brutal on shingles, especially those that suffered significant damage during the winter.

If left unchecked or unaddressed, problems with damaged shingles can quickly escalate.

— Metro Creative