07 Jan April Showers Bring May… Leaks.

As winter slowly and quietly slides out and away from Florida, dark clouds will begin to gather in the sky. After all, the return of the warmth not only means the return of comfort, but the beginning of spring showers.

And where there are April showers, there won’t only be May flowers. There will also be roof leaks.

So, if you’re wondering what to keep in mind before the change of the seasons once again sneaks around the corner, we’ve got you covered:

How Spring Rains on Your Parade

“Annual rainfall amounts [in Florida] range from 40 to 60 inches per year depending on the location,” according to the University of Florida. But as the springtime rolls around in the Sunshine State, in specific, the season is only acting primarily as the prelude to the stormy summer to come.

In other words, rainfall averages begin to increase during these early months.

For example, U.S. Climate Data reports that rainfall begins to creep up in the spring — approximately between 2.5 and 4 inches total during the months of March, April, and May — in Orlando before jumping up to 8 inches at the start of the summer.

Thus, homeowners will want to have their roofs inspected and weather-proofed prior to the onset of the spring, lest they fall victim to roof leaks and worsened water damage at the conclusion of winter.

Looking for the Less-Than-Ideal Leaks

When it comes time to inspect the more vulnerable aspects of your roof, the first item on your agenda should be your flashing. This weatherproofing material is joined to the edges of openings of your roof, including:

• Roof vents
• Dormers
• Skylights
• Chimneys
• And more

Consequently, if the flashing becomes, worn, damaged, or corroded, water droplets are apt to seep in and begin to degrade the other materials beneath.

The aforementioned elements, however, also deserve your attention, in addition to your roof’s soffits and fascias. This is because if they are improperly sealed, or if the sealant itself is failing, any one of these openings will slowly become the unideal entryway for heavy rainwater to invade your attic and stain your ceiling.

Your Protection Plan? A Universal Strategy.

Once you feel ready to spring ahead of the springtime showers, there are three simple steps you can take to prepare and protect your roof. Here’s what we recommend:

• Assess your attic. If the insulation is wet, the area smells mildewy, or water stains are visible anywhere on the walls or ceiling, water intrusion has likely already occurred.
• Clean your gutters. Clogged gutters cannot drain rainwater off your roof and down, away from the base of your property. Instead, that water will overflow back onto your roof, increasing the overall surface pressure from above.
• Schedule an annual inspection. They say the best treatment is prevention, and an annual roofing check-in will help you to identify and tackle problems early —- before they become exacerbated by the spring and summer storms.

At the end of the day, a professional touch will be worth its weight in gold when it comes to mitigating the costly consequence of water damage, particularly when the Florida rain comes back out to play.

That’s why, here at Universal Roof & Contracting, we don’t just offer free inspections during the spring season — we offer them all year, every year!

With over 28 years’ worth of experience in repairing and replacing Florida roofs — both in Jacksonville and Central Florida — we remain confident that our team will show you that the difference is universal. To learn more or schedule your inspection, contact us today by calling 1-855-ROOF-HELP!

We’ll help you keep your forever roof forever safe.