Caring for Your Roof in Winter

Winter is just around the corner. Are you doing something to make your roof winter-proof? If not, I believe it is high time you start taking steps right now. As you know, winter is not too far away, and if you start the process of roof repair from right now, you can ensure that your roof would never have another leak. Never ever try to do this in winter because climbing up to your roof during winter is a health safety hazard! I see it all the time – people climbing up their ‘icy roof’ in winter with ice pucks – but in my opinion that is just stupid! In this article I am going to tell you some of the things I myself do to protect my roof against the onslaught of winter!

Winter Roof Repair Tip #1: Start With A Clean, Blank Slate: It is quite tempting to put on brand new roof shingles over the older, damaged shingles but believe me my friend, it is not a permanent solution; rather this is a “band-aid solution” which may not withstand the pressure of winter. The best thing to do, in my opinion, is to get rid of all the old roof shingles at once. The advantage of this step is triple: your roof would be permanently protected against the biting winter, you would be able to notice any other damage which might exist within the plywood base, and you can install the necessary roof accessories such as roof leak barriers (the ones you are required to peel off and stick under the shingles) easily!

Winter Roof Repair Tip #2: Keeping Your Roof Clean All The Time: Remember one of the reasons why a lot of roofs don’t last during winter is because they are already damaged with leaks. To ensure this does not happen, you need to find some way to make sure that your roof is always kept free of trash such as waste products, dead tree leaves and branches, as well as other such rubbish. One way to do this is to regularly prune the leaves and trim the branches of trees which overlook your room. The more you keep your trees clean, the cleaner your roof would be, thereby keeping it free from leaking.

Winter Roof Repair Tip #3: Keep Your Gutters Clean: It is not enough to clean only your roof! Just like the roof, it is also important that you keep your gutters clean. Gutters get clogged up with the same rubbish which damages the roof: dead tree branches, dead leaves, etc. Remember that if your gutters are choked with such rubbish then it would only cause major problems in your home’s attic as soon as the temperature starts dropping. Try to ensure that your gutters are clean at least one month before winter hits!

Winter Roof Repair Tip #4: Lastly, protect your roof against winter is to insulate it properly. Do you know that a major reason behind roof leaking in winter is the heat which gets transferred through the roof, which in turn melts the snow? When you insulate your attic properly, this heat transfer will be curbed!

If you are still tempted to climb up your roof with ice pucks in winter, make sure they are made of calcium chloride and not sodium chloride! Good luck proofing your roof against winter.