The leaves are falling, and the temperature is dropping–winter is right around the corner. We love snuggling by the fire with a nice cup of hot chocolate, but don’t forget to prepare your roof for the harsh winter weather. Continue on reading for tips and advice on how to care for your roofing during the winter months.
Snow can only do more harm than good when piled on your roof. Heavy weights of snow can strain your roof, leading to damages such as ice dams, leakage, and roof collapse. These ice dams could also affect your gutters by blocking drainage as well as breaking them with heavy weight. Not only is the snow dangerous for your roof, it is also dangerous for you! Melting snow, especially with poor roof ventilation, can lead to hanging sharp icicles that have the potential of falling and harming someone.
High winds are also damaging to roofs especially during the winter time. Wind damage includes loose, missing, or peeling shingles, leaks, even damages from trees and debris that were knocked away in the wind. To prevent major wind damage to your roof, make sure to inspect your roof regularly. Having a professional check out your roof can ensure that nothing will go unnoticed, and any issue will receive immediate attention. Another way to avoid wind damage is making sure you have the proper roof sealant for your shingles to prevent loosening or complete removal. Making sure you have the best roofing materials can prevent the most common damages, and our contractors at Oceanside Exteriors will definitely provide you with proper care.
Roof ventilation is essential for your roof and home. Roof ventilation keeps you from having to pay constant and expensive roof repairs along with prevents damages from the harsh winter months. The purpose of ventilation is to maintain a leveled, cool roof temperature. During the winter months when we tend to increase the heat, the hot air rises to the roof. We want to prevent heating up the roof because that can lead to leaking and ice dams–when the snow on the roof melts then refreezes into dangerous icicles. An attic and roof that isn’t properly ventilated can also lead to mold buildup, dried-out shingles, and water damages that are costly to repair.
If you need help with roof inspection and preparation, or completely replace your roof before the winter months, our team at Oceanside Exteriors are more than happy to help! You can contact our team today by calling us at (207) 310-7659 or by filling out our team’s online contact form! We look forward to hearing from you and assisting with all of your roofing needs!