Different Ways to Prevent Roof Damage in Winter

Marietta roofing companies will tell you that wintertime can be one of the most potentially damaging times of the year for your roof. But you can take a number of steps to ensure that your roof survives the winter without sustaining any major damage.

There are plenty of hazards ready to impact your roofing in the form of wet snow, high winds, freezing temperatures that result in ice build-up and falling branches and debris from nearby trees. You can avoid all of these things with simple roof preparation techniques designed to preserve your roof and extend its lifespan for as long as you own your home.

Snow Removal

Think about it, you shovel the front walkways outside your home because you want to keep them safe for your family and guests who are coming to your front door. But all of that snow can pose significant yet alternative risks to the condition of your home and therefore you should be shoveling more than just the front steps.

The roof can only hold so much weight before it starts to buckle under the pressure of too much heavy snow accumulation. Wet snow tends to get heavy and additional ice and freezing rain are only going to make it that much worse. This undue pressure can make it hard for your roof to withstand the weight and cause damage to the structure and foundation of your roof.

So, yes, you should be removing the snow from your roof to keep it from getting damaged. Just be sure to do this very carefully as you don’t want to actually climb out there to do the work, you could slip under those wet conditions and take a very bad and far fall. A snow rake can help you break up the snow and knock it from the roof while you remain safe from harm.

Clear the Gutters

This is important to do all year round as a means for preventing damage to your roof. Your gutters are designed to remove water and moisture from the roofing material of the home to keep water from seeping through the shingles and causing serious damage beneath the surface. But when the gutters are clogged during the winter, the ice and snow buildup can create a perilous situation in the form of icicles and allow for freezing water to remain on your shingles for longer than necessary.

This could result in water damage occurring, not to mention moisture damage happening to other parts of your home’s interior.

Routine Inspections

You should be doing this all year round but it’s particularly important for the winter. Identify potential problems before they become problems as you can find cracked, damaged, or missing shingles and wood or steel components starting to give way. If you catch these things early you can fix them before the repairs get more expensive or things need to be replaced entirely. Don’t wait for spring to arrive before you take action, that could just make things worse.