INDIANAPOLIS — It's been cold, had some snow, and plenty of wind recently and we have a winter storm damage checklist as we head into spring.
At Window World in Indianapolis, RTV6 gets what should be on home owners winter storm damage checklists.
Check around for any spots on your ceiling that could be signs of leaking, then check out the roof.
"Make sure you don't have any shingles that could come up, or actually torn off or missing," Jeff Pittenger, with Window World, said.
Be sure to walk around the house; strong winds can pull off siding, opening it up to moisture and eventually rot.
Pittenger said, "That there's no areas that the siding is blown off, you want to make sure there's no cracks if you do find them you can caulk them up."
Heavy ice or snow can build up and pull gutters away from the roof line. You can also consider installing gutter screens.
"You want to make sure your gutters aren't loose," Pittenger added. "You want to make sure to check all your downspouts, the wind could have blown them off; that's something that you can probably hook up yourself."
Finally, the windows. Look close at weather stripping along the edges. Experts say there's a way to check for air leaks with a lighter.
"Make sure the wind is blowing outside and take the lighter all the way around the edge of it, anywhere that air could come in. If you do have an air leak, it will blow the flame out. Then it gives you a place to look and start. It might be that the weatherstripping is bad, it might be that the caulking needs to be redone, but those are a good few hints to it."
If you ever have questions, give a call to the professionals so they can help you avoid pricey problems by catching these hidden winter storm damages.
