Have you recently purchased a new home?
Owning your own home is a big deal. It can also be a lot of work. That’s because it’s essential to keep your house looking great. This includes taking care of the roof. Unfortunately, many homeowners mistake ignoring their roofs until it’s too late, resulting in expensive roof repairs.
Here we take a look at important winter roof maintenance tips that will keep your home looking perfect throughout the year. In addition to these tips, you should consider having a professional roofer complete a roof inspection to get ahead of any issues before they become expensive problems. Keep reading to discover insight into the best winter home maintenance tips for you and your family.
1. Inspect Your Roof for Sagging Areas
One of the most important aspects of protecting your roof from long-term damage is to look for sagging. This is an obvious sign of a problem that will get much worse as time goes on. Not only does a sagging roof indicate possible structural damage, but it could affect attic ventilation as well.
The best strategy for dealing with a sagging roof is to contact a reputable roofing contractor to take a look. A roofing specialist will understand how to assess the quality of your roof, suggest repairs and replacement, and then complete the work before further damage can be done.
Be sure to ask family and friends for names of roofing contractors they’ve used in the past to reduce the risk of a bad experience.
2. Clean Out Your Gutters
Next, it’s essential to clean your rain gutters as often as possible. This is especially important during the fall and winter when you’ll have more leaves, snow, branches, and other types of debris clogging your gutters.
Keep in mind that keeping your gutters clean will help reduce damage to your roof and interior water damage due to leaks that can ruin your ceiling and walls.
3. Replace Broken or Missing Shingles
During the winter, take the time to inspect your roof for broken or missing shingles.
Why is this necessary? Well, broken and missing shingles allow water to get under your roofing and cause severe damage. If you end up ignoring missing or broken shingles, you could be looking at a roof replacement instead of a roof repair.
You can make this DIY repair yourself, but it’s always a good idea to hire a roofing contractor to take on the job. This will save you time and energy and reduce the risk of serious injury.
4. Remove Debris
When leaves, branches, and other debris accumulate on the roof of your house, it’s essential to clear them off as soon as possible. This will help prevent rot and minimize the weight that your roof is forced to support. Avoid roof damage by ensuring that any time there’s a winter storm, you clean the roof or hire a roofing professional to do so. Pine needles, tree limbs, and loose shingles can occur after a winter storm.
5. Remove Snow and Ice
Snow and ice can also be a significant issue during the winter months. The key is to remove them from the roof after snowstorms to prevent water damage. This will also help reduce the potential for broken or missing shingles.
A Guide to Winter Roof Maintenance Tips
It’s no secret that buying a new home is fun and exciting. But homeownership is also a lot of responsibility, especially when it comes to winter home maintenance. Fortunately, this guide to winter roof maintenance will make protecting your roof during cold weather a little easier. You can always hire a roofer to perform a roof maintenance inspection to ensure your entire roof is ready for winter.
