During the winter, you may experience extremely cold weather, heavy rains, storms, or even some icing on your roof. All these weather conditions can damage your roof over time. In order to prepare your roof for the winter, here are some maintenance and repair tips you should follow.
Fix Your Flashing
Roof flashing is composed of the metal sheets on roofs that help direct water and snow away from the surface. Over the years, flashing can become warped or loose. It’s important, then, to inspect it every season to ensure that it’s still in good condition. Warped, broken, or loose flashing will allow water to access the structure beneath your shingles.
Another reason you should inspect your roof’s flashing before winter is that the metal can corrode. When flashing has rust, it won’t be able to protect your roof. If you suspect there is an issue with your roof flashing, professional roofers can clean it, seal it, or even replace it if necessary.
Fix Any Leaks
Besides preventative maintenance with your flashing, you will want to make any necessary repairs on your roof before a flash flood or a snowstorm. Check to see if you have a leak, and if you do, identify where it is. It’s important to call for roof repair services immediately. If the leak is small, it should be an easy fix for experts. Another reason to tackle a small leak immediately is that you don’t want it expanding and becoming a larger, more expensive problem.
Clean Your Gutters
If your gutters are clogged with dirt, mud, leaves, and debris, falling rain and ice will have nowhere to go. As a result, the water may penetrate beneath the shingles and drip down your walls. Alternatively, if the temperatures are freezing, you may get ice building up on your gutters, causing them to sag. When you call professional roofers, they can look for damaged or sagging gutters and repair them. If you don’t attend to sagging gutters immediately, they can eventually cause structural damage to your home. Besides inspecting your gutters, roofers can also ensure that your gutters are clear of any debris and dead leaves.
Inspect Your Roof After Heavy Winds
Winter usually brings heavy winds, and heavy winds can cause an enormous amount of damage to roofs. They can tear off your shingles, damage your gutters, and more. After you experience heavy rains and winds, get a ladder and take a look around your roof. If you see any damage, contact a professional roofing company immediately.
Roofs are vulnerable during the winter, so it’s important to have your roof inspected before any winter storms arrive. When you need roofing services in Atascadero, CA, contact Ribas Roofing. We provide roof inspections, repairs, and maintenance services.