Do You Know How the Weather Affects Your Roof?
It’s that time of year again, where the weather tends to be unpredictable, and it’s important to have a safety net when it comes to the overall wellness of your home. Today I would like to talk about how some of the things we deal with from mother nature and how they can affect the roof on your home.
Water
The reason why water can become a dangerous factor is that when the temperatures are cold enough, the water turns into freezing rain, and when that starts to build up in your gutters, it prevents any water from properly draining from the roof. Leave that weight on your roof over time and after so long, the structure of your roof will inevitably begin to fail.
Along with that, water can damage other areas of your home as well. Even just a few inches of water can cause extensive interior home damage. It can affect the electrical wiring if it gets deep enough, and not to mention that any type of water buildup anywhere on your home creates a door for moisture and growth to build. We all know with that comes mildew and an even longer list of problems that you shouldn’t have to face.
How can we prevent water from building up and causing water damage? Check your roof regularly, even if there hasn’t been a storm recently! It’s good to always check and give yourself peace of mind.
Snow
I know that living in Louisville, we don’t have to deal with the snow too often compared to some of our sistering states. On average, Louisville will get 9 inches of snow per year, but even a few inches of snow can cause you problems. If the snow can’t come down the roof or the sides, it stays there and builds up. Like I mentioned earlier, if it rains and that rain can’t come down and it freezes, then we’ve got some problems.
How do we avoid this? First, I’ll tell you what not to do. Don’t try removing the snow with a shovel. You’ll knock off shingles and then fixing those becomes a project. I would say go by the rule of thumb, every 6 inches or so you should worry about getting the snow removed. You can use salt to melt it, but be cautious: using too much may damage your shingles. A little bit is okay as it might help clear out the water in the gutters as well. Are you nervous or don’t want to do it yourself? You can always hire a company to do it for you.
Wind
Let’s talk about the wind. Experiencing damage from wind is one of the more common issues we deal with. If your home is older and some of the shingles are just barely hanging on or not hanging on at all, there’s a very likely chance that when we have high winds come in, they will get blown away. Shingles might look like an easy product to replace, but there’s a lot of expertise involved. We don’t recommend doing that sort of fix by yourself.
After a storm hits your area, we highly advise that you check on the condition of your roof to see if there’s any damage. If there is, you should have a professional come out immediately. You don’t want to start off a new decade with having to replace your entire roof! Fixing any issues that you have now saves you more down the road.
Thankfully, a lot of these issues that I’ve talked about today can be easily avoided by keeping up with the maintenance of the roof on your home. Don’t let the snow build-up, clean your gutters, and call a professional if you’re feeling unsure about what you’re doing. We’re always here to answer your questions, and we hope that you're having a great start to your 2020!
-New Look Roof Team
For any questions or comments, please feel free to email us at jwest@newlookroofs.com, we hope you have a great day and thanks for reading!
- Julian