Preparing your roof for the winter season is essential for avoiding costly mistakes that could seriously damage the interior of your home. If you are living in the GTA, which experiences climate extremes at either end of the spectrum, ensuring your roof is protected from harsh weather and cold temperatures throughout the year is a great way to save on costs while keeping your home warm and insulated at all times.
Inspect Your Roof Before the Winter Season Arrives
Inspecting your roof each year is essential for avoiding potential mishaps, potential leaks, and damaged shingles once the cold weather begins to arrive. Inspect your roof’s insulation, as well as the overall condition of your shingles, gutters, and the lower layers of the roof itself (such as wooden boards that can often rot and cause problems). If you are unsure of how to go about checking your roof’s current insulation status, working with a qualified professional is the best way to move forward and make sure your roof is tight before winter hits hard.
Trim And Remove Tree Branches Surrounding Your Roof
Trimming and removing tree branches that surround your home and roof is advisable regardless of how new or protective your current roof is on your property. As winter arrives, trees become brittle and branches are much more likely to break or fall away from surrounding trees. When large branches fall onto your roof, they are able to quickly create cuts or damage shingles that are already a bit worn down. Cutting and trimming branches throughout the fall or prior to extremely cold and harsh temperatures provides you with the control necessary to clear the area and save yourself big trouble down the road. Do not forget to call Riverside arborists for trimming tree branches.
Preventing Ice Dams
Ice dams occur each winter, generally after a large amount of snow accumulates and warmer air enters the attic, causing the snow to melt. When water begins running down various areas of your roof and freezes again, it creates large chunks of ice which can seep into your home through shingles and open cracks. Preventing ice dams from forming is possible by ensuring all access points to your attic are completely sealed while also verifying that your entire roof is properly insulated.
Attic Insulation
Check your attic’s insulation before winter to keep your house warm without wasting any heat you use throughout the year, as this will have the added benefit of saving you money on your utility bills. Close doors and access points to your attic for an additional layer of protection.
Whenever the winter months begin to arrive in the GTA, checking your roof for potential problems and poor insulation is a must. Maintenance on any type of roof is necessary, as it prolongs the life of your roof, while allowing you to keep your home warm and protected from the weather outside, regardless of how harsh the cold is in your area. Hiring a professional roofing company in the GTA is highly recommended if you want to guarantee your roof is ready for any type of winter this coming year.
