Winter can be quite a harsh season for your roof and everything that surrounds it. Considering how snow can harm it in numerous ways, you need to prepare your gutter and downspout. Otherwise, it can cause alarming problems that can burn a deep hole in the pocket.
Little effort can go a long way when it comes to preparing your eavestrough for winter. If you don’t know where to start, then you’re in luck. Below are some of the most useful tips to effectively winterize your roof as well as downspout and gutter.
Clean the area
Remember when they used to say, “Cleanliness is next to godliness”? Well, that couldn’t be truer. When you are able to keep your downspout and gutters clean, you are preventing any serious problems from occurring. Furthermore, you are able to strengthen the area and forecast any issues before snow hits the roof. Make sure you do this as religiously as you can all year round. You’d be surprised how much cleaning your roofing really needs.
So your first layer of trough protection? Cleaning it. Be sure to clear it from any debris such as twigs, leaves and other things. Furthermore, pay attention to the valleys, which are very prone to water damage. Make sure that area is clear and clean so water can flow smoothly and without obstacles.
Trim the trees around the house
All too often, trees deposit debris in our roofs that will soon cause problems. That’s why you shouldn’t forget about trimming the trees around your house even before winter hits. You want to lessen the debris as much as possible.
These trees will clog your gutters quickly than you will realize. When wintertime comes and you failed to clear this area out, you’re bound to deal with big, expensive problems afterwards.
Take a good long walk of inspection
Apart from cleaning, your next layer of protection against the snow is inspecting it thoroughly. Go up the roof and see if anything requires maintenance, fixing or replacing. There could also be cupping shingles that can ultimately affect the overall performance and functionality of your roof.
If you are not confident enough, you can always hire us as well as other experts with trained eyes to do the inspection for you. This way, you have the peace of mind that your downspout and gutters are going to be taken care of.
Replace anything damaged or deteriorating
Once you’ve finished your inspection, chances are there are necessary replacements to be done. From shingles and tiles to your downspouts and gutters, you will need to have a pro do the work for you. If you’re not used to doing the work, you may be causing more damage than good to your roof.
We at Tip Top Trough specialize on replacing damaged and deteriorating troughs. All you have to do is get in touch with us and we’ll winterize your roof for you right away.
Inspect your interiors too
We often think that inspecting our roof and trough is enough to assess whether or not you are prepared for winter. However, much of deterioration and damage can be seen from the inside. Evident problems such as water seepage, leaks as well as water stains on the ceilings and walls are all telling signs that you aren’t ready for winter.
Be sure to inspect the inside of the house as well. Go to your attic and feel out your ceilings and walls. Go through every corner of the house and see if you’re missing anything. The last thing you want is discovering water dripping down once the snow starts to melt on your roof.
Add insulation and ventilation
Here’s something you may not realize: During the day, the sun hits your roof and heats up the air in your attic. The lack of proper vents in and around the soffits, ridges, and/or gables of your roof leads to the condensation of hot air The result? Even more moisture damage and worse, mold. This is particularly more common during winter wherein moisture can be unforgiving.
Alternatively, in the event that hot air has nowhere else to go, it will then seep into your home and overheat your space. What happens next is your using the air conditioner more often than you have to. Talk about ridiculous electric bills next month!
Winter can be unrelenting to your roof and to your home. It is best to exercise preventive measures as well as apply effective practices to ensure you are protecting it the best you can.
