Is Your Roof Ready for Winter?

As the weather starts to cool and autumn approaches, taking the time to prepare your home for the coming winter months is a good idea. Planning ahead and starting fall projects will put you in great shape for winter when it arrives, and with the roof, making sure that it can withstand the winter weather is critical. Discover what you need to do to prepare your roof for winter.

Inspect the Roof

A roof inspection is key to addressing pressing issues before winter weather sets in. Learn about what you should inspect.

Shingles or Roofing Material

Shingles that have damage on them need replacing before they start to leak. If the shingles become loose, water can get under them, and when the weather gets cold enough, the water can freeze.

The ice under the shingles can cause the shingles to lift, and damage can occur to the wood and roof structure as a result. A quick inspection of the shingles starts with a visual check of the roof from the ground.

If you can see missing shingles or damage from the ground, you should have a roofing company do a full inspection of the roof, the substructure, and the attic space.

Flashing and Sealant

Every place that a pipe or a chimney passes through the roof, metal flashing helps create a barrier so water can’t get into the hole. A sealant bonds the metal flashing to the roof and the object passing through the roof.

Any place that the flashing has missing sealant, water can find a way in and damage the wood underneath the roofing. Mold and mildew can also form in the space where the water is, and the water can cause the wood to rot.

Flashing is also along the bottom edge of the roof and meets the edge of the shingles. The flashing has a lip on it that goes over the edge of the roof and keeps the wood along the edge of the roof dry.

If this flashing is loose, you will likely have similar rot and mold issues under the edge of the shingles or along the edge of the roof and fascia.

Clean the Gutters

What do the gutters have to do with the roof? If debris is in the gutters, the water coming off the roof will have no place to go and will sit in the gutters until the temperature is cold enough outside for the water to freeze.

If the gutters fill with ice, the weight of the ice is likely to pull the gutters off the house, damaging the fascia boards and potentially damaging the edge of the roof as they come loose.

Cleaning the gutters out every fall is the best way to keep the water flowing all year. Clean out the downspouts as well so the water in the gutters has an unimpeded route to the ground.

Trim the Trees

If you have untrimmed limbs and branches that overhang the home, these can quickly become a problem if they break loose from the tree during a storm.

The damage they can cause to the roof can range from very minor scratches to roofing material damage. If the branches are large enough, they can damage the structure of the roof from the weight and impact.

At A-1 Roofing Inc., we can help you prepare for the cool weather with a complete roof inspection and report. The earlier we inspect the roof, the more time we have to fix any damage to the roof and get your roof ready for winter weather. Give us a call today, and we will schedule a time to come out and inspect your roof for you.