How To Get Your Roof Ready For Winter
Although the heat of summer is still with us, we like to remind our customers that it’s never too early to start preparing your home and especially your roof and gutters for winter.
It’s hugely beneficial to take advantage of the good weather and calm days to make sure that your roof is in the best possible condition to withstand whatever weather might be on the way.
You can examine your roof from inside and from outside to check whether all of the components and materials are working efficiently.
Why Is It Important to Prepare Your Roof?
Quite simply, your roof is the first line of defence against the elements. Whether it’s rain, wind, hail or snow, your roof will be tasked with protecting you and your home throughout the winter months.
At All Type Roofing, we have years of experience dealing with roofs throughout the year and we know how important it is to prepare for storms and freezing temperatures, before they arrive. Especially as temperatures drop, your roof will be put under huge strain and you want to be able to rely on it rather than experiencing issues when it’s too late.
Although many people put off preparing their roof in advance, it can save you huge amounts of repair costs in the long run, and it also gives you the peace of mind when the bad weather does arrive.
We work with roofs of all types – whether you’re interested in restoring or repairing your colorbond iron roof or want to speak to us about how your sunroof will survive Winter, give All Type Roofing a call now.
How To Prepare Your Roof for Winter
So, you’ve decided that you want to get your roof winter ready but what are you actually aiming for?
The two key things are that your roof is:
- Watertight
- Sable and Secure
Step 1: Check Your Roof for Weak Spots
You can carry out a visual inspection yourself – as long as you take the necessary safety precautions and never go onto your roof alone or without informing anyone that you’re doing so or using the necessary safety equipment, ladders and harnesses.
We do NOT encourage you venture onto the roof yourself unless you have taken every safety precaution you can.
If you do not feel confident going onto the roof, you can use a pair of binoculars and inspect from the ground.
Alternatively, we can visit your home to help you with diagnosing any issues or problems with your roof and will look at some of the following areas:
- Check the ground around your roof for any fallen debris or moss
- Check for missing tiles
- Check the chimney for any signs of wear and tear
- Check and clear gutters to allow water to drain efficiently
Having your roof properly inspected by our expert professionals could help diagnose problems far quicker and more efficiently meaning that we can help save you money long term.
Step 2: Clean And Clear All Debris From Your Gutters
It’s absolutely essential that your gutters are kept clear to allow water to drain efficiently.
If leaves fall during the Autumn months and are not removed, they will block up gutters and cause any heavy rain fall to fail to drain properly.
If water backs up in your guttering and can’t drain away, you could be faced with serious problems when temperatures drop and the rain water turns to ice.
Step 3: Check Shingles, Slates and Flashing
You can spot tell tale signs of roof damage by closely examining elements such as shingles and flashing.
Shingles can buckle and this means that they should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible, or could lead to larger problems. If you find granules in the guttering, this can indicate disintegrated shingles and should raise alarm bells.
Loose slates should always be assessed properly – if they are unstable they should either be removed and replaced, or nailed back on firmly.
Lead flashings can become worn or cracked especially around problem areas such as skylights, chimneys and roof stacks.
Always check for leaks around any area of your roof that has sealed joints as this is where they are most likely to develop.
Winter Checks Complete?
Once you’ve fully examined your roof and fixed any issues that you have spotted, keep an eye on it – from both the inside and the outside, throughout the Winter.
Don’t ignore any cracks, leaks or debris that you spot – acting quickly could save you huge amounts of time, money and stress.
