Whenever the seasons change, there are quite a few things that need to be done around the house. To prevent wintertime damage — and ultimately save money in the end — we recommend starting at the top and working your way down.
The first thing that will be affected by upcoming winter weather is your roof. Blizzard winds clock in at 35mph, and they typically last for several hours. In this time, they are a threat to rip off shingles, tile, flashing, or slates. Be sure to properly inspect your roof for weaknesses before winter weather hits. A good roofing inspection can help your prevent ice dams and other pitfalls of the cold weather.
Another risk factor is freezing rain. It's a threat to chink roofs and flood attics and upper levels of houses. Heavy snow and ice are other obvious threats. Freezing rain and excess snow create ice dam formation on your roof. It can cause severe winter roofing damages.
The snow that lands on your roof tends to pile on top of itself, becoming heavier. In fact, snow weighs approximately 20 pounds per cubic foot which is roughly 1.25 pounds per inch of depth.
Heavy snow that piles onto your rooftop can create cracks, and upper-level doors and ceilings might begin to bow. Additionally, once snow melts into freezing rain, it is consequentially a threat to flooding. According to the Insurance Information Institute, “hail-related insurance losses between 2000 and 2019 averaged between $8 billion to $14 billion a year.”
Also, according to the NOAA’s National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, there were 4,611 major hailstorms in 2020. Hail, therefore, is devastating to glass skylights, as well as shingles, flashing, vents, and the like.
Because of this potential damage, it is important you take the necessary, preventative measures for protecting your roof in the wintertime. A winter roofing maintenance plan is crucial to prevent damaged shingles and other winter roofing factors. To make things a bit easier on you, we’ve compiled a list of our top 5 winter roofing tips.
These tips aren't silver bullets, but they will give you an edge in keeping your roof intact as winter sets in.
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It is far too common for overgrown branches to snap and break under the weight of heavy snow or ice. Make sure there are no looming tree branches over your precious home and roof.
Also, smaller branches can scrape against windows and siding during those heavy winter winds, so you want to make sure they are pruned as well. Trim your tree branches to ensure they are not a threat to your home this winter!
Cleaning your gutters is not something we usually think of when winterizing our roof. If you have debris building up in your drainage system, the flow of water is consequentially restricted. Paying attention to this can prevent your gutters breaking from the harsh season.
This excess water can then potentially flood your home and create significant damage. Also, in the wintertime this water could potentially freeze, which weighs down the gutters and eventually causes them to collapse.
Attic insulation is a great way of keeping your house temperature even and balanced. This, in turn, will lower your utility bills and save you tons of money. If you’re thinking about re-insulating your attic, just before winter is the perfect time.
Trust us, the last time you want to worry about an attic's insulation is when you actually need it. In short, make sure your attic is properly insulated before deep winter hits.
Although it looks pretty on the ground, snow on your rooftop is a big no-no. If fresh snow sits for too long, it becomes incredibly heavy and is an immediate threat to your roofing system.
Additionally, if snow is left on your roof, it becomes what is referred to as an ice dam once melted. Dams can tear off shutters, loosen shingles, and threaten flooding because of a potential water back up. Removing snow will help prevent ice dam formation
There really is no harm in being sure. Although there are tons of roof maintenance tasks you can perform yourself, you'll be able to sleep better at night when a professional can double check.
Letting the experts come in and do their thing not only saves you time and effort, but it ensures your home and roofing system is in tip-top shape for the upcoming winter. There is a peace of mind that just doesn’t come with doing it all yourself.
Preventative measures are always (always, always!) going to be less expensive than those made to fix existing damage. Therefore, you want to get started on winterizing your roof system today before it is too late.
Planning ahead gives you time to ensure that your roofing system is all set and ready for the damage threats of this upcoming winter. Also — like so many other things — catching roof damage early on typically requires maintenance fixes that won’t necessarily break the bank.
For example, hiring a company to clean your gutters is far less expensive than replacing all of them because they collapsed under the weight of heavy snow or ice.
So, basically what we are trying to say is don’t forget about your roof this winter. Of course, unless you want to pay thousands of dollars in repair damage later down the line. Trust us on this one, you don’t.
Are you thinking about how to protect your roofing system from the upcoming winter? Good! You’re on the right track. However, if you weren’t sure what to do for your roof this upcoming winter, then we hope you do now.
Implementing these winter roofing tips can save you a lot of time, money, and stress long-term. So, what are you waiting for?
If you need a roll off dumpster for any (or all) of your upcoming preventative roofing projects, don’t be afraid to give us a call! At Discount Dumpster, we offer a wide variety of container sizes that are perfect for any sort of project.
Come see for yourself! Give us a call today, and our expert sales staff would love to help you find the perfect dumpster for your needs for your winter roofing maintenance schedule.
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