How to Protect Your Roof Before and During the Winter

Are you worried about your roof as winter approaches? As the summer wanes and fall begins to make way for winter, the temperature begins to drop. Rain storm eventually make way for snow, sleet, and freezing rain. While the approaching col months may make for happy holidays, if your roof isn’t up to the challenge it could become anything but that. You need to plan ahead and protect your home for winter, and one of the best places to start is your roof.

So, to prepare your roof for winter, here is what you need to do.

1. Clean Your Gutters Regularly

Gutters are essential to the health of your roof. They ensure that water and other precipitation drains off your roof properly. Over time, gutters can easily get filled with debris, and, if not cleaned out, won’t work like they should. During winter, water accumulation can become devastating, especially in a freeze. Ice accumulating on your roof will weigh it down, causing potential damage, including a possible roof collapse. To prevent such an event, clean your gutters every couple of weeks before winter. If leaves are falling often, inspect your roof regularly for any build-ups as well.

2. Repair Your Roof Before Bad Weather Begins

If your roof has any vulnerabilities, it could mean disaster during the winter. Check your roof for missing shingles, heat cracks, worn out valleys, and other abnormalities. Replacing missing shingles and sealing cracks could mean the difference between protecting your roof during the winter or replacing it. Remember, the small problems can easily become big problems. Take a proactive approach and repair your roof now before the weather gets bad.

3. Insulate Your Attic

As the weather gets colder, you tend to use your home’s heater more often. Heat rises, and during icy weather, heat can become too concentrated in your attic, resulting in ice dams. These ice dams can cause more ice to accumulate on your roof, resulting in possible damage. To prevent this from happening, make sure your attic is properly insulated to allow heat to stay in your home and not gather in the attic. A professional roofer can assess your specific situation and determine which type of attic insulation is best. Look into this issue now, before bad weather begins.

4. Replace Your Roof If Necessary

If your roof is showing signs of wear after being through many winter seasons, it may be time to replace it all together. You can repair parts of it over time, but sometimes the safest thing to do is get a brand new one. It may seem expensive, but the benefit far outweighs the cost – and stress – of dealing with major roof damage due to a winter storm. Have a professional come out and determine if you need a new roof. If it has been damaged due to a storm, a good roofer should be able to work with your insurance company to pay for a new roof. It’s best to plan ahead and do what’s safest for you and your family now.

Do you need to make roof repairs or replace your roof? At Woodforest Roofing, we’ll give you a free roof inspection and tell you exactly what you need, or don’t need, to protect your home. Talk to the pros and get ahead of the winter weather today.