In protecting your home from the elements, your shingle roof takes a lot of abuse in winter. As a homeowners, you can help your roof perform best with a few preventative measures. Roof care is more important in around winter than at any other time of year. This is largely due to the threat of ice dams, which can wreak havoc on your roof and attic and potentially cause major, costly damage.
Shingle Roofing & Winter Snow: 4 Damage Prevention Tips
1. Inspect the roof & attic.
While it may sound like common sense, it’s important to perform a regular inspection of your roof. Look for curled, cracked, loose or missing shingles. Check flashings and other penetrations, including around chimneys and exhaust vents. Be sure these areas are properly sealed against the weather. If anything doesn’t “look right”, contact a roofing contractor for a professional inspection.
Look in your attic, as well as interior walls, for evidence of current or prior leaks. Roof leaks will often reveal themselves as stains on your ceilings, or as stains and wet areas in your attic. However, not all roofing problems are obvious, and the absence of drafts or leaks doesn’t necessarily mean your roof is structurally sound.
2. Clear roof debris.
Check your roof for any leaves, twigs or miscellaneous debris. These materials tend to collect in concentrated areas, where they may gather water or moisture which can break down the shingles on your roof. Roof debris concentrated in valleys also prevents water from properly flowing away from your roof and into your roof’s gutter system.
Don’t forget to trim your trees. If there are any limbs or branches hanging over your roof (or growing close), have them removed. Falling branches can lead to expensive roofing repairs.
3. Check the gutters and downspouts.
Keeping your gutters clear is important in allowing snow melt to properly drain from your roof and into the downspouts. In the winter, the weight of ice buildup from clogged gutters can cause significant damage. If they are clogged, gutters and downspouts can’t channel water and snowmelt away from your home which can lead to serious damage.
Additionally:
- perform a quick check of the gutter angle, making sloping adjustments as necessary
- look for gutters pulled away from the home
- check for leaks and holes (using a garden hose, spray water on your roof to see if your gutters are leaking)
- Inspect your downspouts for any leaks or signs of excessive wear.
4. Prevent ice dams.
Ice dams can form from the buildup of ice and snow inside gutters and along roof ridges. When a dam forms, water may pool up behind it, where it can seep into the interior of your home. Ice dams can cause significant damage not just to the surface but to the entire roofing structure.
While there’s no 100% effective way to eliminate ice dams, they can be minimized. Proper roof insulation, as well as a good attic ventilation system, are key elements in an effective defense against ice dams. Proper attic ventilation means a consistent & efficient flow of cool, dry air through your attic: intake through eave and soffit vents, and exhaust through vents in the gables, deck or ridge. Typically, a correctly sized exhaust fan coupled with adequate soffit venting will ensure proper attic ventilation.
Don’t Postpone Your Repairs Till Spring!
The integrity of your roof is critical in maintaining your home’s value. Proper maintenance and inspections, especially before winter snow storms, can significantly extend the life of your roof.
If you’d like to schedule an inspection to diagnose specific problems or evaluate the overall condition of your roof, contact All Roofing Solutions. Family owned and operated Delaware and Pennsylvania roofing contractor with 20 years of experience in residential and commercial roofing, we have the experience and expertise to handle your roofing problems, large and small
Protect your home by scheduling a roofing & gutters inspection/maintenance today! Call 302-725-ROOF (7663) in Delaware or 610-551-ROOF (7663) in Pennsylvania or request a Free Quote online!
Don’t forget to ask about our discount of 15% off any roof repair job!!!