The weather has turned colder, and the leaves are falling from the trees.
It won’t be long before we are in the full throes of winter. If your home or
office has suffered any damage over the summer, now is the time to address it –
before it is too late. Proper roof maintenance in the fall prevents further
damage to your roof and reduces the risk of ice dams.
This process begins with a full inspection of your roof. Some of this can
be done from the ground, but most can be done only from atop the roof itself.
So if you are not comfortable climbing a ladder or walking around on your roof
– stop now and call in the cavalry.
From the ground, you want to see straight, horizontal lines along the
gutter line and the roof top, or ridge line. If these lines show any signs
whatsoever of bowing or sagging – you may have a serious issue developing.
Once on top of your roof, check for missing or damaged shingles, slates,
or shakes. Missing or damaged shingles provide an easy point of entry for rain
and snow. Also check around any
chimneys, vents, or skylights. The flashing around these structures has to be
undamaged as well – or again, a point of entry for damaging water is present.
Remove any branches, birds’ nests, Frisbees, or other items from the roof. If
you have any branches hanging over the roof, trim them now, or this winter’s
ice will trim them for you – only not quite as cleanly as you may do it.
Lastly, check your gutters to ensure that they are properly fastened to the
building and are free from clogs. Clean out any leaves, baseballs, or other
debris from the gutters. Clogged gutters lead to ice dams, and the weight of an
ice dam can tear your gutters completely off your home – leaving a lot of
collateral damage, too.
If everything checks out okay, you’re good to go for another New England
winter. If, however, you have found any damage whatsoever, please do yourself a
favor and call us at The Roofing Store. In our 30 years of experience, we have
never seen damage fix itself over the winter (and we doubt we ever will). On
the contrary, it only gets worse and ends up costing you more money later.
Please - call us at 855-403-4966 today, or click here to set up your no-obligation repair estimate. Remember, “we
do it right, we do it by the book, or we don’t do it at all.”
