How to Prepare Your Roof for the Winter Months

Your roof can protect your home from a variety of different types of weather, especially during the winter months. Preparing your roof ahead of time can help your roof better protect your home. It can also help to prevent wear and tear on the roof that may reduce its lifespan or make it less effective.

The following are some steps you can take to prepare your roof for the winter months in North Carolina.

Inspect Your Roof

It’s a good idea to inspect your roof before you do anything else. It’s important to find and repair damage early so that it doesn’t get exacerbated during the winter. Specifically, you should look for any damage that could cause water to leak into your home. Look for damaged shingles or flashing. A professional roof inspection can spot problems that you as the homeowner may have missed.

Whether you or a hired professional handle the roof inspection, here’s what should be assessed:

• Roofline – Should be straight and not sagging, curving, or dipping which may be signs of problems with the frame
• Chimney Flashing – Should be free of leaks and shouldn’t be loose or damaged. Caulking should also be free of cracking or deterioration.
• Attic – Should be free of water damage. Signs of water damage point to problems with the roof itself that require repairs or replacement.

Clean Your Roof

Debris on your roof, such as leaves or pine needles, can break down over time and eventually start to cause mildew and rot to develop on top of your roof. This can cause problems that may result in water leaking into your home or that impact the overall longevity of your roof. Before the winter months hit, take some time to clean debris off your roof so that your roof can do a better job of protecting your home.

Clean Your Gutters

You should regularly clean out your gutters all year, but it’s especially important to do it in order to prepare for winter. This is because clogged gutters don’t allow rainwater to flow through so that it’s properly directed away from the home. If you have snow on your roof, it will eventually melt and will similarly need to be directed away from the house, requiring cleared-out gutters. It’s best to clean your gutters before winter so that you can do it when the weather isn’t so cold.

Trim Your Trees

Trees that are close to your house can deposit debris onto your roof. This can be leaves that make their way into your gutters, clogging them up. It can also be tree branches that could damage your roof when they fall onto it. If you’ve just cleaned your gutters, it’s a good idea to also trim back your trees so that they won’t drop more leaves into your freshly cleaned gutters.

Ensure Your Attic Is Insulated

Before it starts to get cold is the best time to make sure that your attic is properly prepared for winter. This involves checking both your attic’s ventilation and its insulation. Ventilation is important because it helps the air within your attic to properly circulate. Insulation is also important because it’s what keeps the warm air drifting up from the house below from escaping out through the roof, leaving your home colder than it should be and your heater working harder than it needs to.

For informational purposes only.