Many people love winter. The sight of snow-covered streets and the feel of snow against the skin are the most perfect things to experience. But, the winter also comes with its own challenges. When the sun is up and the snow starts to melt, people start observing the downside of the season they all love.
During winter, the one thing that you have to do is to protect your house against the harsh weather. Your roof is the main element that remains exposed to all kind of weather. If you want to ensure that your house doesn’t meet with unnecessary damage, you have to protect your roof from all kind of damage.
This is why it is important to protect your roof against the mid-winter damage. How can you do so, you might ask? In this article, we’ll have a look at the various ways through which you can prepare your roof for the harsh winters. Besides our tips for roof maintenance, one thing that you should do is to call a roofing expert for a careful inspection of your roofing structure so that the big problems, if any, can be identified in a timely manner.
1. Fix Existing Leaks
As mentioned above, your roof is exposed to all kind of weather conditions. It is also a protective layer above your house that keeps your house unscathed. During harsh weather like a heavy snowstorm or a windstorm, your roof can be slightly damaged. Problems like cracked or missing shingles are quite common in American households. While this problem can be easily fixed, it is important to carefully examine the roof for all existing leaks. In case the problem remains unattended, the snow will leak into your house and you will find it difficult to keep your house heated.
2. Prevent Ice Dams
Ice dams are formed because of clogged gutters. The gutter holds water and moisture and on a cold day the moisture freezes. The ice accumulated can damage your rooftop. In fact, it also gets difficult to drain the water collected when snow starts melting. To prevent this situation from happening, the best thing is to keep your gutters clean all the time.
3. Trim the Trees
Do you have any trees that touch your roof? Or do the hanging branches of your neighbor’s trees mess with your rooftop? During a severe weather condition, the trees’ branches can snap and land on your roof. The pressure put on your roof can be damaging. Also, broken branches on the roof also create hindrance for the water accumulated on the roof and prevent it from reaching the drain. This is why, as a safety step, trim your trees regularly.
Summary
Homeowners who show concern for their roof safety get successful in preventing major roof damage. We all know how expensive it is to get roof repair work done. Not only that, roof damage also has direct effect on the interior of your house and you are likely to experience more problems. Follow these easy steps to prepare for winter.