Steps for Getting Your Roof Winter-Ready

Posted on Saturday, January 15th, 2022 | 822 views

Roofing is designed to withstand many of the common elements of winter, and this includes heavy snow and even ice. However, a certain degree of preparation and maintenance will ensure the longevity of your roof while enabling you to minimize any potential damage during the winter months.

Prepare for winter by getting your roof fully ready to handle anything the harsh weather might bring.

Let’s start here:

Eavestrough Cleaning Procedures

The eavestroughs are responsible for enabling water to flow freely from the roof; however, eavestroughs openings can become clogged with dirt, leaves and other debris.

If there is a snowstorm with this debris still clogging them up, the frozen ice can cause damns and block the flow of water from the roof. The clogged eavestroughs can trap the water and cause it to freeze into a solid block of ice, which can damage the gutter system as a whole. The backup of snow and ice can also encourage the growth of mold, for example.

The eaves and downspouts should be cleaned and if possible dowsed with water. Its best to completely avoid excessive blockage of your eavestroughs and if you can’t do it yourself, try getting them professionally cleaned and serviced before the onset of winter.

Weather Stripping Installations

Weather stripping is a process that improves the energy efficiency of the home. Weather stripping installations can trap the warmest air inside of the home while keeping the cold air from leaking into the room.

This can be done by a professional company if you’re unable to do it yourself or simply don’t have the time. Applying weather stripping is a great way to prevent the strong drafts from getting into your home during the winter.

Since the energy efficiency improves, you can also see a decrease in your monthly heating bills. Weather stripping is an effective way to reduce drafts and leaking areas around doors, windows, vents, A/C units, gas or electrical lines and other apertures.

Ice Removal Procedures

Removing ice from the roof is an important task to do during winter months if you see any accumulating. Once an ice dam forms on the roof, the melting water won’t flow freely from the roof into the drains.

Accumulation happens after the ice and snow melts as a result of heat escaping from the home itself. If the snow and ice melts, an ice dam can form if temperatures drop below zero, and this is what blocks the rain water from making it to or down the eavestroughs.

The buildup can cause various problems even while you remain unaware of the issue. The solution to this issue is fairly simple, but you have to do it before winter.

The attic should be well-insulated and ventilated. This includes any fixtures, lights and pipes; any chimney areas should also be insulated. The ventilation system should keep enough cool air inside of the attic to avoid allowing warm air to escape and melt any snow and ice on the outside.

Raking the Rooftop

Try to rake the snow off of your roof following a major snowstorm. This is not always that easy for some home owners but if it can be done it will prevent an excessive buildup of snow has the potential to cause many long term issues.

The typical rooftop is designed to accommodate snowfall that doesn’t exceed four feet but if the snow piles up beyond this limit, the weight of it can cause issues.

Roof rakes are easy to find at any hardware store and are fairly affordable. Investing in one and storing it will help you get ready for heavy snowfalls.

Tree Pruning

Roof maintenance also includes dealing with the areas around the rooftop. This means the trees that have branches extending over your rooftop might pose a potential hazard during a snowstorm.

If you see a tree around your house that’s getting too big and hazardous, hire a team of tree pruners, and have them cut down the branches that are likely to fall on the top of your roof during a harsh winter storm.

This simple precaution can eliminate a potential hazard and save you lots of money on replacing your roof. You may want to also ask the company to trim the tree branches that you can see are too close to any power lines.

Scheduling a Professional Roof Inspection

Roof inspections are important for identifying any issues before a winter storm surge comes. This includes addressing a variety of issues like finding missing shingles, soft patches, dilapidated tiling and much more.

A professional inspector understands how to examine your roof and make give you a recommendations that will protect your roof from any winter storms for years to come. Most roofing contractors have the expertise necessary to examine the roof’s weight-bearing capacity for snow and will ensure your roof can handle it.

If you’re worried about your roof this winter, it’s best to take action now and save money.