One of the toughest seasons on your home is winter. Heavy rains, ice buildup, freezing temperatures, and heavy snow loads can cause a lot of damage if your home is not ready for them. Your roof is one of the most vulnerable areas as far as receiving damage over the winter. The good news is there are ways to avoid winter roof damage. Here are some helpful tips on how to best prepare your roof to handle winter weather. Failure to do these steps can leave you with some costly repairs in the spring or worse yet, lead to nuisance leaks over the winter.
Clean Your Gutters
This may be obvious but so many homeowners fail to do this before the winter months set in. That can have devastating effects on your roof. That’s because when gutters are filled with debris water cannot channel off your roof properly. When that happens the water from gutters that are blocked up must go someplace and it usually is an area that you don’t want that water. This includes soffits and other roof structures that are then prone to rotting and weakening. So, get those gutters cleaned out before winter and remember to use proper safety procedures when working on a ladder.
Get Any Debris Off of Your Roof
Tree branches and other debris laying on top of your roof can become hazards during the winter months. That’s because snow and ice will grab these objects and then they have the potential to damage shingle and puncture holes in the roof. To prevent this from happening get up on your roof and clean it off. Start by picking up large debris such as branches by hand and throwing them off the roof. Give the roof a good final cleaning by blowing it down with an air blower. That will easily get rid of smaller debris like leaves and pine needles.
Have a Roof Inspection
Most homeowners do not know what to look for as far as things to be concerned about with a roof over the winter months. Not to mention, that many homeowners are even reluctant to get up on their roof in the first place. That’s why it’s never a bad idea to call a local roofing contractor and have them do a pre-winter roof inspection for you. Many companies like Evergreen Renovations & Roofing out of Beaverton, Oregon will even do a pre-winter roof inspection for free or for a very minimal cost. You will get no better peace of mind that your home’s roof is ready to handle the winter than when it’s been checked by a professional roofer.
Don’t Put off Minor Repairs
Such things as loose roof flashing and loose roof shingle can really create some big problems on your roof if snow and ice catch them over the winter. The repair bills can end up being quite costly. So, if you have gotten a roof inspection done, don’t put off any minor repairs the inspector pointed out that your roof needed.
