Winterizing your roof

Prepping Your Roof For Winter

Your roof is one of the most essential components of your home, and this is because it keeps you safe and comfortable. The roof also makes up 40% of the exterior part of the house that people see, implying that it plays a pivotal role in the general aesthetics of the home.

While the roof is a crucial part of the house, you should also note that it's not resistant to damage, especially in cold seasons. This article will show you some tips for winter and how you can winterize your building before the winter season. But before that, we'll look at the benefits of winter-proofing your roof.

Benefits Of Winter-Proofing Your Roof

Do you have a roof that is ready for the cold winter temperatures? For a home that is already experiencing roof problems, ice and snow that come with winter can be hazardous to your roof. However, you can avoid these hazards by winterizing your roof. This will also help you save money and enhance the lifespan of your roof.

Here are some of the benefits of winter-proofing your roof:

Winterize for leak protection

Even though rain is somewhat limited during the winter season, it doesn't mean that water can't damage your roof in winter. A roof with sagging gutters or missing shingles will create room for moisture to form. With that, an ice storm or snow can cause different problems. It's advisable to contact a roofing company before the winter season for a roof inspection to prevent having to deal with roof leaks during winter.

Winterize to save money

Ignoring little roofing problems can lead to more severe and expensive roofing issues. Even though most roofs don't usually fail completely, it's essential to pay attention to the little problems that arise. This preemptive approach is the best way to ensure that these little problems do not become extreme. If they become severe, you'll spend so much to fix them.

Here are some of the problems that people mostly ignore:

• Visible underlayment
• Damaged flashing
• Missing shingles
• Insufficient sealing between skylights, vents, and chimneys

Winterize to reduce the heating bill

You might have already noticed that your heating bill increases during winter. Even though it's normal to have higher bills during winter, there's a chance that you're paying more than you should.

There are many things to note when it comes to winterizing roofs. For example, if the attic is not insulated correctly, it will cause the release of more heat. With that, you'll end up spending a lot of money on heat, which is something that you can easily avoid.

Again, it's best to contact a roofing contractor to inspect your roof so that they can determine poor roofing conditions.

Winterize to protect your gutters

People usually don't realize that their gutters are a vital aspect to pay attention to. It's a critical component that influences the functioning of your roof. Before winter, the gutter collects sticks and leaves and also becomes a habitat for mice and squirrels. If you don't clear the gutters out before winter, it will cause the build-up of ice and snow, increasing the weight on your roof.

The best thing is to inspect and clean out your gutters before winter. The need to clean your roof during winter cannot be overemphasized. One thing you should remember is that winter is one of the worst times to consider getting a roof replacement. Therefore, you should act with haste before the winter season reaches.

Ways To Winterize Your Roof

Now that you know the benefits of winterizing your roof, the next thing is for you to winterize the roof. If you are wondering how you can accomplish this, we have outlined some methods to winterize your roof below.

Here are roofing tips for winter to get you prepared for the winter season:

Clear clogged downspouts and gutters

One of the characteristics of the fall season is that leaves fall from trees a lot, causing them to accumulate in gutters. But that's not the only problem you're likely to encounter. Other issues include insect infestations and clogging due to nests created by wasps, bats, and other wildlife.

It's essential to clear your gutter and downspouts from all these issues so that it doesn't get severe and damage your roofing. Another thing you might want to consider using is gutter guards to minimize the workload when clearing out this debris.

Remove overhanging tree branches

One of the significant contributing factors leading to the build-up of debris that can block your gutter is the surrounding trees in your yard. This is mainly for trees with branches that extend to your roof. During winter, snowfall increases the weight these branches exert on your roof, which can lead to severe problems. Therefore, it's advisable to trim overhanging tree branches before the winter season arrives.

Insulate your attic

It's also essential to ensure that your attic is properly insulated before the winter season arrives. Proper insulation helps to minimize the loss of heat, and it's vital for energy efficiency. It also helps prevent the build-up of ice dams because your shingles will stay cool.

Also, it's worth noting that the attic in your home should comply with the R-value within that region. Basically, the R-value indicates how well the material with which it is made can resist heat loss. If you're unsure about your region's roofing, you might want to call a roofing service company to help determine the R-value.

Check the flashing and caulking

Before the winter season arrives, one of the things you should do is to check the condition of the flashing. This is the metal strip that covers the joints of features like vents, skylights, and chimneys. They are designed to lead water away from some regions of the house.

Check the interior for signs of damage

Another region you should pay attention to is your home interior. Before winter arrives, you must check for signs of any roofing problem. This includes signs of weight ceiling, which is an indication of a chronic issue affecting your roof. It's advisable to fix every problem before the winter season arrives.

Inspecting Your Roofing Before Winter

The most important thing you should do before the winter season is to thoroughly inspect your roofing. For this, you might need to hire the services of a professional. They are in the best position to help you examine your roofing and also offer solutions to any problem that they identify along the line. These professionals are equipped to help you check flashings and shingles for potential damages.

With their tools, they can quickly evaluate every part of your roof, including the sealants on the vents and valleys. Another critical thing to note about roofing professionals is that they also have the tools to enhance safety as they ascend and descend from the roof. These tasks are too dangerous for homeowners to perform on their own, so it's important to utilize professional services.

As mentioned earlier, the best preparation hack is to perform the inspection before the winter season arrives. Therefore, if you're hiring professional services, you must ensure you do it before the winter. This is the best way to ensure that the problem does not escalate during winter and that you also save money on extensive roof repairs.