Before the winter season gets into full swing, there is still a little time to get your roof ready for the winter season. Before a major snow or ice storm comes through, it is important to prepare the outside of your home to ensure the best winter season.
- Check your Gutters: Make sure your gutters are cleaned out. If there are leaves, sticks and other debris in the gutters, water isn’t able to freely flow in the gutters. If this happens you are at risk for having ‘ice dams’. An ice dam is a wall of ice that forms at the edge of the roof. This happens when the heat from within the house starts to melt the snow that is on the roof. Once the snow begins to melt, the water runs down and refreezes at the edge of the roof. As this continues, the ice builds up and causes a backup and doesn’t allow the water to drain off the roof.
- Make Sure your Attic is Well Ventilated: If your attic becomes too warm from the heat your furnace produces, it will cause your roof to be ‘warm’. When this happens, the snow melts at a faster rate than normal and can be the cause of ice dams.
- Check your Shingles: Before the worst winter weather comes along, this is a great time to check the shingles on your roof to make sure they are in good shape. Do you see any that are not flush with the rest of the shingles? Have you picked up scraps of shingles from your yard? Those are warning signs of a bigger issue. If you have broken or loose shingles on your roof, you are at risk of your roof leaking and letting cold ice and snow into your home.
Take some time to inspect your home before the winter season arrives. This will ensure a safe and warm winter and will keep your roof in better shape for the following seasons. If during your inspection you notice any damage to your roof or lose shingles, call Eclipse today to schedule an appointment with us. We will get your roof back into good shape before it’s too late.