8 Tips On How To Prepare Your Roof For The Winter
With the upcoming winter season, one of the must-know things is how to prepare your home for it. Instead of just waiting for the damage to occur and paying lots of money to fix it, you can do a few simple things and prevent any disastrous outcomes. So, here is something you can do all by yourself or with the assistance of professionals that will save you money in the future.
What To Do Before Winter Comes
There are several essential things to be done to ensure you won’t have any unwanted leaking, pipe burst, or worse. So, let’s go through our list and check one by one.
- Clean the gutters
As the primary thing, we would mention cleaning the gutters. Since all the water from rain and snow ends up in your gutters, having them dirty and full of fall leaves will cause a significant issue. Therefore, you can try doing this on your own or hiring a professional. What is important is to make sure that all the dirt and twigs are out, so the water can actually run through the gutter and not burst inside your home.
- Check out the shingles
Since shingles are there to keep the outdoor elements out, making sure they are in good condition is essential. You can check for bulges and splits yourself, and if you notice something out of the ordinary, think of calling a professional. Minor repairs are way cheaper than fixing the potential damage later.
- Trim the trees
Despite not being directly related to your roof, trimming the trees ensures that your gutters stay clean and that none of the heavy snow will just fall to your roof once the season starts. It will help prevent damage, and it costs you nothing.
- Check if the roof is flashing
Since flashing keeps the water outside and ensures that your home is safe and dry, make sure to check it. If you notice even minor irregularities, make sure to fix them before the winter starts. Otherwise, you may have a major leaking and a flood within your home, and that’s something complex and expensive to fix.
- Check the chimney
Another place to check and clean is your chimney. Not just that Santa cannot come with your chimney being clogged, but having faulty bricks can cause more significant problems. Therefore, either you or your contractor should make sure that everything is alright in the area.
- Check the attic
If you have an attic, you want to ensure that your insulation is in the right spot. Not only will you save money on your heating bills, but you will also ensure that no ice dams are made under your roof. Significant temperature changes can lead to humidity and, in the end, to roof damage.
- Check sealant
In case you have an antenna or any stacks on your roof, you will want to make sure that everything is alright there. With time, sealers will wear, and you will need to replace them. However, better sooner than later, when the damage is done.
- Monitor the roof
Once everything is set, make sure to monitor the roof and notice any changes. Not saying it should be an onerous duty, but occasional checks cannot harm. That’s the way for you to be safe and have peace of mind.
Conclusion
While some of these repairs might require a professional contractor, most of the things you can do on your own. Just make sure that everything is stable, clean, and ready for the winter. Good luck.