Are you concerned about how your old roof will fare once the coldest months of winter start to show what they can do? Fortunately, there are ways to improve the situation, if you take the time to do it. With the following tips, you can easily protect your roof during the winter, even if it’s somewhat old, and would normally have to be replaced.
Preparing for Winter
Roofing preparations are important before the winter cold hits. Just imagine sitting quietly in your home or business and suddenly having the weight of the snow on your roof cause a piece of old, dried up wood to break somewhere beneath the underlayment. Fixing the problem would eventually cost you a lot of money.
However, if you plan ahead, then things will be very different:
- One of the first things you should do is clean your roof and clear it of all debris. There might be fallen leaves or branches from tall trees, or you might find old, empty birds’ nests and other debris. Make sure to remove it entirely before the first snow arrives.
- Schedule roofing companies Minneapolis experts to inspect your roof. While this is a task you have to perform both before and during winter, it is essential to examine your roof’s every little detail before snow and ice takes over. The pressure of the snow and the reduced temperature can lead to far more damage than you thought, if your roof isn’t fortified.
- We talked about removing fallen branches and leaves, but make sure to also trim your taller trees to prevent branches from falling on your roof during a blizzard. This is a very important task, because heavy branches can fall quite easily during a strong winter storm, and they can damage your roof to a significant extent.
- Finally, make sure that you hire a roofer to fix any leaks and flashing issues. Even though this can technically be done during winter, it would be far more difficult. Thinking ahead is important, however, since your roof can easily be flooded when the snow starts to melt. So getting out ahead of the problem will definitely help you out by the end of winter.
What Should You Do Once Winter Has Arrived?
Once the winter comes, it’s important to try to clear your roof of snow as frequently as possible. Large amounts of snow can put pressure on your roof, so it has to deal with an amount of weight it wasn’t designed for. Moreover, drainage can suffer – so it’s also a good idea to clean your gutters frequently as well – and as temperatures fluctuate, the snow can melt partially and then freeze again, leading to the formation of ice.
It’s also a good idea to remove wind damage. Even though snow and ice can be destructive, wind damage can also affect your roof by blasting away flashing and shingles, or damaging your chimney.
Finally, make sure you check the attic ventilation quite frequently. If your attic is poorly ventilated, it can easily expose your roof to the elements and cause problems such as ice dams. So, check your attic and make sure there are plenty of solid routes for the airflow to be kept at a consistent rate.