The Dodd Blog

Most homeowners policies cover tree damage to your roof, but tree removal limits and the wind and hail deductible decide what you actually receive. Here is what Fargo-Moorhead homeowners should know.

Most Fargo-Moorhead roofs do not need snow removal, but heavy drifts and warning signs change that. Learn when to act, how to do it safely, and when to call a pro.

Why gutters and downspouts freeze solid in Fargo, how freeze and thaw cycles and Red River Valley clay make it worse, the ice dam connection, and a pre-freeze checklist that keeps water moving all winter.

Frozen downspouts back water into gutters and toward your foundation. Here is why they freeze in Fargo winters and what actually fixes them before the first hard freeze.

Most roof repairs, emergency tarping, ice dam relief, and gutter work can still be done in December in Fargo. Full shingle replacements usually wait for spring. Here is what to schedule now and how the spring queue works.

Yes, snow can collapse a roof in the Treasure Valley, but it is rare on a sound pitched home. Here is what failed in January 2017, how much snow really weighs, the warning signs, and what to fix before the first storm.

Before the first hard freeze in Fargo, check shingles, flashing, attic insulation and ventilation, gutters, and leftover hail damage. Here is the fall checklist and which repairs cannot wait for spring.

Drafty windows in Fargo come from worn weatherstripping, failed seals, uninsulated gaps behind the trim, or cold glass. Here is how to tell which one you have and when replacement makes sense.

Fargo homes need at least R-49 in the attic, and newer codes call for R-60. Here is how to measure what you have and why it matters for ice dams, attic frost, and roof life.

Clean Fargo gutters after leaf drop and before the first hard freeze, usually mid October through early November. Here is why timing matters and what to check.

Fargo homeowners policies usually cover the interior water damage an ice dam causes, but not removal or prevention. Here is how these claims actually work.

Heat cables melt drainage paths through ice dams but do not fix the heat loss that causes them. When they make sense in Fargo, their downsides, and the better long term fix.

Hail season in North Dakota runs May through August and peaks in June and July. Here is how to tell if hail hit your address and when to book a pre season inspection.

Shingles around Fargo are rated for 110 to 130 mph in the lab, but roofs lose shingles in far smaller gusts. Here is what wind ratings mean and why edges fail first.

Yes, ice and water shield is required at the eaves of new roofs in Fargo. Here is what the code calls for and why FM winters demand it.

Late August through October is the window for inspections and repairs on FM metro commercial roofs. Here is the checklist we work from.

Fargo roofs are engineered for heavy snow, but wet packed snow weighs far more than fresh powder. Here is how to judge the load on your roof and when to act.

Why ice dams form on Fargo roofs, the fixes that actually work, and the ones that just treat symptoms.

Horace is newer, more exposed, and a magnet for storm chasers. Here is the pre-season roof check and the insurance reality for this fast-growing community south of Fargo.

Same storm as Fargo, different rules. Minnesota's matching statute often turns one slope of hail damage into a full roof replacement. Here is what Moorhead homeowners need to check before storm season.