Is Your Roof Prepared for Winter
Winter is here, but there is still time to prepare your roof for the weather as it gets progressively worse. Before a significant snow or ice storm hits, it’s essential to prepare your roof and the outside of your home for potential damage. Here are a few things you can do to better prepare your home for the winter:
#1. Check your gutters.
Make sure your gutters are completely free of debris like leaves, dirt, and branches. Make sure you are using the buddy system when using a ladder to climb onto your roof! Having blocked gutters can cause water and snow to build up over time and eventually create ice dams.
Ice dams are when water melts in warm areas and refreezes as it drips to colder regions, creating a blockage against water flow in the future. This can cause significant damage to your roof as the water begins to look for other pathways for gravity to take it. As this water builds up, it can exacerbate already existing cracks and cause damage and flooding.
#2. Trim tree limbs around your home.
Branches are more likely to fall in the winter as the cold can cause the wood to become brittle, and the snow can weigh down the boughs. Tall trees that lean over your roof also are significant contributors to the debris accumulating on your roof and in your gutters. These leaning trees and long branches also provide easy access to your roof and attic for wildlife. It is best to address these problems early and keep all trees and tall foliage near your roof trimmed and under control.
#3. Examine your shingles.
Before the worst of the winter weather arrives, it’s important to do a routine check of your shingles. Do you have any that appear to be peeling from the rooftop or lifting away from the others? Are there shingle scraps in your front yard? Is there shingle debris in the gutters? These are all signs of needing shingle replacement. Your best bet here is to hire a roofer for an inspection, have them take a look, and see what all needs to be replaced.
Leaving a roof in disrepair needing new shingles is the fastest way to get water damage in your home, especially in the winter. Don’t put it off for another season if you see the warning signs, as the damage it can cause to the interior of your home can be quite costly.
#4. Inspect your attic.
An attic inspection should be a routine and integral part of your general roof inspection each year. What is happening in your attic can be a telltale sign of any repairs needed to your roof before the winter hits. Lacking proper insulation in your attic can allow the warm air inside your home to seep outside and the cool air to come in. The warm air can create warm spots on your roof that cause uneven melting of snow and ice dams to follow.
If you need a roof inspection, call New Look Roofs today at (502) 341-4415, and our expert evaluators will come to you and give you a free quote!