Winter brings with it severe weather that can put your home to the test. The worst of these storms overwhelm your home’s ability to withstand the extremes, and your roof is no exception in this fight. The last thing you want to be dealing with in the dead of winter is fixing your roof, but what can you do to help prepare and protect your roof during these harsh months? Read on to learn some simple steps you can take to help keep your roof in the best condition possible.
Clean Your Gutters
Gutters work with your roof to make sure precipitation drains off the roof and away from your home. If debris builds up in the gutters, as is common during fall, this system breaks down and could lead to more damage. Ice and snow will build up on your roof, leading to ice dams, roof leaks, and, potentially, collapse. Take the time to go up and clean out your gutters before the problem becomes worse. If you’re looking at remodeling your home, consider upgrading your gutters to something better suited to your region or adding something that helps you keep debris out.
Insulate
Heat rises and collects in your attic. Your Attic allows heat to gather above the living space, cooling the rest of the home, and increasing the likelihood you will experience ice dams. Under certain conditions, ice dams cause snow to build up even more than it normally would, subjecting your roof to new dangers and increased weight load.
The only way to stop this from happening is by installing the right kind of insulation. The recommendation is no less than R-38 in the attic. You should also check for air leaks that compromise your insulation. The goal is to have the outside of your home and your attic to feel identical, sans the precipitation. To make sure this is done properly, hire a professional service to come inspect your insulation and use their equipment to find energy leaks going up into the attic. A great time to do this is during roof or attic remodel, as some of those spaces can be difficult to get to.
Protect Pipes
Some homes have the water pipes in the ceiling. If your home falls into this category, you’ll need to take extra care of them and have the pipes inspected on a regular basis to protect their structural integrity. Regardless of where your pipes are located, you can help keep them flowing properly by leaving cabinets open to allow your home’s heat to reach the water lines under sinks. Next, insulate exposed pipes, especially metal ones. Another trick is to leave a small drip in your sinks to keep the water moving. A slow trickle helps stop unheated pipes from freezing.
Repair Preemptively
If you know you have a weak roof or that your home has a structural flaw that will lead to a collapse if a storm hits, why put off repairs? Eventually, you’ll likely spend more fixing the roof and whatever damage hits the rest of your home. Missing shingles, heat cracks, or delamination reduce your roof’s defenses against damage regardless of the weather. Take the time now, before severe weather hits, and call Mr. Roof to help fix the problem before it becomes worse. We offer free estimates and we get most projects done in less than a day, even in the winter.
