How to Winterize Your Roof

With winter on its way, now is a good time to make sure your roof is ready for rain, wind, snow and cold temperatures. Your roof does a lot of the heavy lifting to protect your home from the elements, so it’s important to keep an eye on its condition at all times. Follow the steps below to winterize your roof—then call your favorite licensed and insured roofing contractor in New Bern, NC to perform any necessary repairs:

• Inspect your roof: One of the easiest ways to spot damage is to actually get up on your roof and look at it yourself. Look for missing shingles, holes, stains and rot—all signs that your roof won’t protect your home well in the wintertime. If you’re mobility impaired, or don’t feel safe enough to do it yourself, your roofing contractor will be happy to inspect it for you.
• Clean out your gutters: Your gutters help divert water away from your home and foundation. If they’re clogged with leaves and other debris, the water will overflow and run down the sides of your home. Clean out the gutters, and look for places where they might be bent, warped or loose.
• Look for tree branches: Tree branches are a big problem for roofs—during storms, they can break loose and crash through your roof, causing holes or ripping off shingles. Prune back your trees so the branches are far away from your home.
• Inspect your attic: Go up into your attic and look to see if there are any obvious signs of damage there. If you can see sunlight through the roof, that’s a big sign it’s time to call your roof repair contractor in New Bern, NC. You should also make sure your attic has proper ventilation, which will prevent mold and mildew.
• Keep an eye out for water damage: Look around your ceilings and walls inside the home. Are there signs of water damage? If so, that indicates that there may be holes in your roof.
• Check for pests: Insects and rodents can also wreak havoc on your roofing material. Even birds nesting around your roof can cause damage that will worsen in the winter. Look for droppings, nests and hives to make sure there are no freeloaders causing problems on your roof.
• Look at the flashing and caulking: When your caulking and flashing is damaged, water can leak through. Look for wrinkled caulk and loose or missing flashing, and make sure to get repairs well before the rainy season sets in.
• Call your roofing contractor: Finally, have the number of a great roofing company on hand. If you notice any damage, they can come out to fix the problem before a storm causes even more problems. They’re also happy to help inspect your roof for you, if you are unable to do it yourself.

Dallas Cherry Roofing is a roof repair contractor in New Bern, NC. Call us today to get help winterizing your roof—we look forward to assisting you soon!

Categorised in: Roof Maintenance

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