Is Your Roof Winter Ready? There are Roofing Options Other than Shingles

A strong roof is the foundation of your home. Without it, you will not be protected from extreme weather conditions and other dangerous situations. This is why it is important to ensure that your roof is maintained regularly and that it doesn’t suffer damage during the harsh winter seasons. In this article, we will discuss common things that you need to look out for in winter and provide you with tips on how to prevent damage to your roof before it happens. Keep on reading to find out more about how you can ensure your roof is protected in the worst weather conditions.

Common Things That Happen to Roofs in Harsh Winters

Winter is challenging for roof maintenance. That snow that creates ice and causes thawing can cause several costly repairs if it is not prevented early on. Listed below are some common winter season challenges that can severely impact your roof.

Condensation. This occurs when warm air interacts with a cold surface. Improperly insulated spaces, such as attics are highly prone to the effects of condensation. The formation of condensation is highly dangerous because it can lead to the presence of mold and mildew. These are responsible for damaging the interior structural components of your home. To avoid condensation and damage to your roof, ensure that your attic is adequately ventilated.

Flashing Leaks. Sloped roofs are found in many homes. They cause leaky flashing. Violent winter snowstorms can cause the strips of metal placed along the edges of your roof and chimney to pull away from the roofing material. When this happens, water leaks occur. It is crucial to ensure that your flashings are installed properly and inspect them regularly to prevent these water leaks from happening.

Strong Winds. Snowstorms happen in some parts of the United States. These strong winds are known to loosen up asphalt shingles. A thorough inspection of the shingles is required to avoid any potential damage.

Falling Trees. When tree limbs overhang, they scratch the top of the roof and cause damage to its silicone roof coatings protective layer. Moreover, branches can fall on the top of your roof and cause severe structural damage. To avoid this from happening, it is important to trim any large trees on your property.

Ice Dams and Icicles. When ivy parts of your roof begin to thaw, melting ice flows down from the roof and refreezes on lower parts of the gutter to create ice dams. The water that pools behind the ice dam can leak into the roofing material and your home, causing significant damage. Similarly, icicles can form when temperatures drop.  These pose a danger to gutters, humans, and pets. They can result in downspouts and clogged gutters. It’s important to conduct thorough gutter and downspout cleaning and maintenance before the winter.

Hail Damage. Even though the damage that your roof sustains from hailstorms is inevitable, it is best to take preventative measures. This will save your money on hail damage repairs you haven’t set a budget for.

Knowing how to identify the signs of structural damage that can affect your roof is important, and it can save you from insomnia from thinking of unplanned expenses. This is a great way to avoid the common things that can happen in harsh winter weather.

How You Can Prevent Damage to Your Roof Before it Happens

A neglected roof can cost you thousands of dollars. To avoid spending money that you haven’t planned for, we have compiled a list of things you can do to prevent damage to your roof before it happens.

Do Regular Inspection

Conducting inspections before winter is mandatory. It will help to assess potential water damage and to figure out how to prevent the damage before it becomes severe. If you have trouble with getting on top of your roof, you can contact a water damage repair services provider near you to conduct a professional inspection for you. However, if you choose to do the inspection yourself- you can assess structural damage causing pests, sagging, and leaking gutters.

Clean Your Gutters

Even though cleaning your gutters can be a time-consuming task and involves climbing onto a ladder, it is an effective way to prevent water saturation. When there is a significant amount of water that clogs up your gutters, it can cause your wood materials to rot. If there are irreparable problems with your gutter, you can consider a gutter installation to replace it.

Trim the Trees

As previously mentioned, when tree limbs fall on your roof, they cause major concerns. When snowstorms occur, tree limbs and branches can fall on top of your roof and possibly cause your roof to collapse. You need to trim your larger trees before they fall on top of your roof and damage the roof silicone coatings. When you trim your trees, you also discourage animals from climbing up and entering your gutter. Moreover, you need to remove any debris from fallen leaves and small sticks that can trap water which can cause the growth of mold and mildew.

Reduce Heat Damage to Shingles

Some regions experience hot summers and this can put the roof shingles to the test. Investing in higher-grade roofing materials that your local contractor can install for you. Using an experienced professional will help you to be certain of the quality underlayment that separates your shingles and roof deck. If replacing the shingles becomes too much of an issue, be aware that there are roofing options other than shingles that may be more sturdy for your home.

Add Robust Storm Resistance

Adding roofing cement to the space between your shingles prevents single tabs from popping up. Starter shingles are an ideal way to add resistance to your roof. Roofing contractors also recommend using metal roofing because of how durable and cost-conscious it is. If you have had your roof for a long time, you may want to consider replacing it and using a high-quality shingle that will provide ameliorate wind resistance. Moreover, when you incorporate resistant materials into your roofing, you will have tougher water barriers that will provide your roof with a longer life expectancy.

Assess Your Attic

If you have an attic, it is probably the first place that you need to assess for any damage. Putting up preventative measures in your attic will protect against air and water leaks. The signs to look out for include discoloration from water stains on the rafters and plywood. If you have a poorly insulated attic, it may cause extensive damage repairs for you during winter.

How You Can Recover From the Damage

Potentially dangerous weather conditions can be difficult to avoid even if you follow our tips to set up preventative measures to protect your roof. Massive snowstorms, rain, and wind are known to cause major roof damage that can severely impact the interior of your home and affect your finances. If you have experienced an inevitable impact due to unfavorable weather conditions after winter, you need to figure out what to do next. The first thing to do is to determine which choice makes the best financial sense between repairing your roof or replacing it.

Whether your roof requires repair service or to be replaced will depend on different factors, but the most important one is the extent of the damage. We will discuss the point to consider for a replacement and a repair service as well as their benefits.

You should repair your roof in case of the following scenarios.

Minor Damage. If the damage is minor, replacing the whole roof can be costly. Roofers know how to fix minor damages. For instance, some leaks are caused by isolated damage that can be fixed without replacing everything else.

Restricted Budget. In most cases, roof damage happens when there isn’t a fixed budget for it. When unpredictable damage occurs, you can find ways to fix it without incurring expenses that you haven’t planned for. Replacing a roof can be a costly exercise, and it may even require taking out a loan in certain cases. If you can repair your roof until you can save enough money to replace it, then you should consider doing the repairs in the meantime.

Service Required at Short Notice. In certain circumstances, damage to a roof is only noticeable when you least expect it. A brief service can be practical to fix an unexpected leak. However, after this small-scale service, extensive repairs and possibly a replacement is needed.

Recently Replaced Roof. If your roof was replaced recently before winter, you may only need to do a quick repair service after the weather conditions become better.

But what are the benefits of doing repair service on your roof? Listed below is a summary of the advantages of repairing your roof.
-You can maintain your roof.
-They are efficient for the short notice of roof damage.
-Repairs can save you money.
-They allow you to prevent your roof from decay.

However, getting a local contractor to repair a severely damaged roof may not be enough. A roof replacement is ideal in the following scenarios.

The Lifespan Has Been Reached. Existing roof damage can cause rapid deterioration during the harsh winter season. Moreover, in some instances, repairing some parts of the roof can result in poor quality. To maintain visual consistency, a complete roof replacement may be required to also ensure that quality materials are used throughout.

Noncompliance with Building Codes. In some states, roof materials have to comply with specific building requirements. If your old roof does not comply with these building regulations, then the law will make it mandatory to replace the whole roof.

Severe Damage. This is the most obvious reason to replace a roof. In these circumstances, failure to replace the roof could result in death from structural collapse at unpredictable times.

Frequent Repair Work. A roof that requires frequent repairs in a short space of time has most likely reached its lifespan. Additionally, replacing the roof could end up saving money when compared to the costs of the stop-gap measures.

When you choose to stop repairing your roof and to replace it, you obtain the following benefits:
-A brand-new roof.
-A durable roof that will last for a long time.
-A roof that adheres to the building regulation codes.
-An increase in your property value.

Other Considerations

When you have decided on whether to repair or replace your roof after the harsh winter season, you should consider the following things before you buy a new roof.

The Materials

There are different types of materials that you can use to replace your roof. Nowadays, more people are opting for green building materials. So, when you shop around for the materials, you need to think about how energy efficient they are and their sustainability. Roofers also report that there has been an increase in people who have turned to metal roofing as an adequate option. Do your research on trends and read up on how green practices are affecting the production of certain building materials.

Shop Around

Before you decide on a roofing contractor, you need to shop around and compare different costs associated with the labor and materials of your roof. In your cost estimates, you should be flexible to include any additional costs that may arise unexpectedly.

Prepare For The Noise

You cannot do anything to avoid experiencing the loud noise from the renovations. The best thing that you can do is to mentally prepare yourself and inform anyone else who may be affected by the noise levels. You may need to take a drive to get away from it from time to time, but everyone will be inconvenienced until the renovations are completed.

Use Quality Materials

Replacing a roof can be an expensive exercise, and settling for the cheapest options when it comes to materials and labor can be very tempting. But you need to invest in a quality roof- sometimes this can mean it may be pricier than what you are willing to settle for. How quality trumps price because it provides you with many benefits such as durability and reliability as well as increasing the value of your home.

Ask About Roof Removal and Waste Management Plan

Many roof installation service providers offer roof removal services. It is important to utilize these services to get rid of the old roof materials that are not useful anymore. The complete removal of the old roof allows you to identify areas that have been damaged over time. To remove your roof properly, a roofing services provider has to consider how they manage the waste from the old roof. Make sure that clear terms have been set regarding the waste removal plan and the storage of waste on your premises. You may have to read up on what the waste regulations in your state say about this.

Regular roof maintenance is mandatory to ensure safety at all times. Even though there are situations beyond control, taking effective preventive measures is crucial. This will help to prevent potentially dangerous effects of roof damage. As a result, it is essential to hire an experienced professional who will be able to guide you through the recovery process after extensive roof damage. Additionally, certain considerations need to be made to ensure that the materials and financial resources are available for a proper roof repair or replacement.