Getting Ready to Winterize Your Roof

Fall is quickly approaching, and here in the Midwest, that means that winter is not far behind. While there are a lot of things to get ready for the winter, winterizing your roof is something that most homeowners can do to prepare. Winter in the Midwest means low temperatures, snow and ice storms, and strong winds, all of which can wreak havoc on your roof. The first thing you want to do is inspect your roof. You are looking for any damaged, loose, or missing shingles while patching or fixing them along the way. Already damaged shingles will be increasingly stressed during the winter months and will sustain more damage. Be sure to check the peaks and valleys of your roof, as those typically sustain the most damage during severe weather and are usually where leaks develop. After you inspect your roof, it is time to give everything a thorough cleaning. Clean out all of the gutters and downspouts to allow proper water drainage. Remove and twigs, branches, leaves, or debris so that melting snow and ice does not run over the roof. This is also a good time to check for any granules in the gutters and downspouts. Finding granules in the gutters could mean that your shingles are damaged. The last step is trimming any trees that hang over your roof or are near your house. During ice storms branches can get weighed down, break, and damage your roof, leading to costly repairs. Check for any dead branches and either cut them down, trim them up, or call a professional tree trimming service. If you noticed that your roof or gutters are damaged, call us today to set up your free estimate before the winter weather comes!