With the impending arrival of cold, rainy, and snowy weather, now is the time to winterize your house. It’s critical to begin winterizing your roof well in advance of the inevitable weather in your location. While your HVAC system is essential for maintaining a comfortable temperature in your house during freezing weather, your winterization strategy should also incorporate your home’s roofing system. So, how do you protect your roof in winter? If you’re unsure what to do, here’s a checklist that could help.
Checklist For Winterizing Your Roof
Begin With An Inspection
Before doing any repair, you should inspect the condition of your roof. Once the rain and snow begin to fall, even the tiniest anomaly or deficiency might become a significant problem.
What you’re searching for are splits and punctures (which are the primary source of leaks), as well as wind-induced uplifts. The latter is dependent mainly on geography, and if you live in a windy neighborhood, this is more probable. These roof damage indicators are readily evident to the naked eye.
Replacement Or Repair?
When you notice anything wrong with your roof, you’ll need to decide whether to fix or replace it. For instance, if a shingle is missing, its repair is a no-brainer. The issue with this is that it often necessitates repairing a little greater area of the roof.
Those who neglect roof upkeep the most suffer the most when winter approaches. A roofing system might develop several weak points over time. These weak points deteriorate significantly throughout the winter when destructive external forces target them. As a result, it is essential to make required repairs, such as replacing broken or loose shingles.
Reduce Or Trim Tree Limbs
Even the healthiest tree branches might fall on your roof due to strong winds or the weight of ice and snow. If the trees surrounding your property have grown higher than your roof and pose a hazard to your roofing system, immediately prune the tree branches. This can help you avoid costly emergency repairs and safeguard your house from water damage.
Clean Your Roof Gutters
Before the winter months arrive and freezing temperatures make an appearance, clean your roof and roof gutters entirely. Algae growth on your roof might infiltrate under the tiles. This problem can worsen throughout the winter, when cold temperatures force the algae to grow, exposing your roof to potentially destructive elements.
Rain gutters are also critical for the proper maintenance of your roofing system. A blocked or broken rain gutter causes water to permeate your roof, attic, and house, wreaking havoc on your yard and potentially your home’s foundation.
Examine Attic Insulation
Insulation maintains a comfortable temperature in the winter and a cool temperature in the summer. It is critical to regularly inspect your attic’s insulation to verify that it is in excellent condition. To safeguard your roof, remove or block moist or moldy insulation. When necessary, insulate your attic to save energy, increase comfort, and protect your roofing system.
Examine Flashings
Roof leaks are often evident to the untrained eye; have a look at your flashings. Susceptible areas such as roof areas touching the wall, skylights, or vent penetrations, it’s advisable to get ahead of the incoming rain and get a free roof assessment from an expert.
Get Professional Roof Inspections Regularly
As a homeowner, you might enjoy DIY projects and be tempted to climb onto your roof and try some of these suggestions, such as shingle repair. However, you must understand that this is not a safe activity! Walking on a roof is risky; a single mistake or misstep may result in catastrophic results. Additionally, stepping on a roof may result in damage to adjacent tiles or shingles.
As a result, the most effective method of protecting your roof and preparing it for the winter season is to book a professional roof check. Not only will this assist extend the life of your roofing system, but it will also help increase and maintain the efficiency of the heating and cooling system.
Contact Gold Star Contracting Today!
If you haven’t had a professional roof check recently, now is a good time to do it. You will extend the life of your roofing system and increase the efficiency of your house. For actionable information on winterizing your home or schedule roofing services, call Gold Star Contracting today!