Ways to Winterize Your Residential Roof
If winterizing your residential roof isn’t already on your fall checklist, it should be! It’s crucial to winterize your residential roof because winter can be hard on roofs, and taking some simple precautions to make sure your roof is ready for whatever winter throws at it is a great way to avoid unnecessary repair costs, or even premature replacement!
Keeping your roof in good condition isn’t just a good idea, it’s an important part of maintaining the value of your home and saving yourself from other costly problems like water damage and mold.
Here’s what you need to know to properly winterize your roof.
Why It’s Important to Winterize Your Residential Roof In Michigan
Winter storms might not cause the same kinds of damage as wind and hailstorms in other parts of the year, but that doesn’t mean that your roof is safe.
For one thing, the heavy weight of snow is a serious stressor on your roof. The last thing you need is a tree dropping branches onto your roof, or prolonged ice exposure causing cracking and other common problems.
Taking a few simple precautions before winter sets in can help you keep your roof in good condition and avoid costly damage in the long run.
Winter-proofing your roof should be an annual chore, but it’s one that’s well worth the effort! Especially if you’re hoping to avoid needing roof repair in the near future.
How To Winterize Your Residential Roof
Here are some simple steps to help you get ready for the winter.
- Get a Roof Inspection: Getting an inspection can help spot damage that you might have missed, and gives you a chance to get repairs before winter causes even more damage.
- Eliminate Overhanging Branches: It’s never a good idea to have tree branches overhanging your roof. All it takes is one big snow storm to knock those branches loose and you could have a massive problem. Trim your trees early and often to prevent this problem.
- Check Your Insurance: Knowing what roof benefits you have through your homeowners’ insurance is important. You might even find that there are some repair or preparation options that can help you get through the winter intact.
- Bring In Outdoor Furniture and Supplies: Most of the time outdoor furniture is a gorgeous and convenient addition. In the winter, furniture and mobile decorations are just more debris that could be launched by a storm and cause problems. Make sure you secure everything to the ground, and bring anything that can’t be secured inside before the first storm.
- Clean Your Gutters and Down Spouts: Clogged gutters are a big problem in winter. They can hold ice against your roof, where the cycles of melting and thawing can dry out your roofing materials and cause cracking. So, clean them out early, and try to reduce the amount of debris that could clog them later.
- Repair Existing Damage: Getting a roof inspection before the end of the year is partially because that gives you an opportunity to repair your roof damage before it gets worse.
Bonus: Have Roof Repair Services Programmed In Your Phone
One of the best ways to make sure your roof is prepared for winter is to make sure it’s quick and easy to contact repair services. Make sure you have Rapid Roofing, or your roof repair company of choice, ready to go in your cell phone in case something goes wrong.
In the meantime, if you’ve been struggling to keep your roof in good condition, one of these common roof problems is probably why!
Winter Do A Number On Your Roof? We Can Help!
If you’ve had problems with your roof after this winter, we can help get you back on track. Whether you’re just dealing with a little damage or are having more serious challenges, Rapid Roofing can help with the repairs or replacement you need.
If winterizing your residential roof wasn’t enough this year, contact Rapid Roofing for a free inspection and to start the repair process.
