Preparing Your Roof for the Winter

One of the biggest risks people find themselves dealing with is the state of their roofs. Your roof is the main aspect of your home blocking you from the elements of the outdoors and come winter and snow, you don’t want your roof to fail you.

To make sure your roof is up to par and ready to take anything the weather may throw at it, there are some tips and tricks to do as it gets colder. As well as making sure your roof doesn’t have any holes or may cave in from the snow, making sure your roof is stable can also keep warmth in your home.

Clean Off Your Roof

As winter approaches and snow is on its way, making sure there is nothing already on your roof can help from it being weighed down or causing water damage. Before the first snowstorm, make sure to clean off any leaves, sticks, or other debris that may be on your shingles or in the gutters.

If these items are still up there when the snow comes down, they may create possible water damage to your roof or make it harder for the snow to melt off. The melting snow may get soaked into the leaves or debris and as it sits there, could cause water damage to that part of the roof.

Don’t Forget the Gutters

Just like the roof itself, the gutters are also important to clean out before snowfall. If there is a large number of leaves, sticks, or debris inside the gutters, the snow won’t be able to properly melt off your roof. This will also lead to possible water damage to your roof or even broken gutters.

Check Inside Too

If you have an attic or just a ceiling, you will want to go around the home to ensure there are no previous disturbances. You will want to look for possible cracks, water damage, or discoloration. If you do have an attic, it could be wise to also check the walls and flooring for any water damage as well. If there are puddles on the floor or dripping down the walls, this may lead to the roof needing to be fixed before anything else. Checking the state of your ceilings and attics should be done more often than just the winter season. Homeownership takes a lot of check-ups on your home to make sure if there are any problems, they are fixed in a timely manner.

Keep Up with the Snow

Once there is a snowstorm, it is important to not forget about the well-being of your roof. Even if there is just a couple of inches of snow on your roof, you will want to get the bulk of it off. To do this you could use a snow rake or install a heater on your roof to melt it faster. If the snow stays for too long or there is too much of it, it may cause damage to the structure of your roof and lead to possible cave-ins.

The stability of your roof is one of the most important parts of the structure of your home. It is what protects you from the elements. So why not give it some love during the winter months to ensure both you and its safety.