Is Your Roof Ready For Winter?

Posted by bencline Comments Off on Is Your Roof Ready For Winter? Roofing Education, Winter Services

Is Your Roof Ready For Winter?

With the winter weather right around the corner is your house ready?

Here a few tips that will prepare your home for the impending Cleveland weather.

1) Clean the Gutters

Leaves and debris can clog the gutters and downspouts,

which can lead to overflow in heavy rainfalls or create additional, ice backup

issues once the snow starts to fall. Always make certain that the downspouts

are flushed by inserting a garden hose into the outlet for a minute or two to

ensure they are not backing up.

2) Check your Attic Insulation

Ice backup issues are commonly caused by

inadequate or improperly installed attic insulation. Check your attic to make

sure that the insulation is evenly distributed and has not been disturbed

during the course of year. Bare spots from people walking or working in the

attic can cause “hot spots” that allow hot air to escape from the living area

and heat the underneath roof decking. This process will cause the snow on

the upper roof to melt and possibly freeze at the gutter edge, which can lead to ice damming.

3) Invest in a Snow Rake

If your house has been susceptible to leaking caused

by ice backup in the past, it may be wise to invest in a snow rake. Raking the

roof clean of snow at the bottom edges after a large snowfall will allow the

melting snow to drain into the gutter and not rest behind the frozen wall of ice.

4) Missing Shingles

Check your roof with a good pair of binoculars to ensure

that you are not missing any shingles. Missing or damaged shingles should

be replaced to prevent leaking.

5) Roof Deicing Cables

If ice backup has been a chronic problem it may be

best to utilize a set of deicing roof cables. Cables come in either outlet ready

sets or hardwire options. It is recommended to have a certified electrician

look at the connection options at your house to ensure the set will work

appropriately. Moisture and temperature gages are available with certain

sets, which help maximize the efficiency of the cables by electronically

turning them off based on the weather conditions.