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Originally Posted On: https://rlhayes.com/2021/12/roof-maintenance-tips-to-winterize-your-home/

With winter just around the corner, preparing one’s roof for freezing temperatures is something that should be on your home maintenance list, which should include your roof. When it comes to winterizing one’s home, performing a routine roof maintenance checkup before winter makes its appearance can ensure that your home stays warm and comfortable. Taking these important measures would also help you avoid costly repairs caused by leaking or frost. We encourage you to keep reading for 6 important maintenance tips to get your roof for winter, which can be finicky in Georgia.

Repair Worn Shingles

Did you know that loose, missing or damaged shingles can cause a home to likely have roof leaks and water damage if not fixed by wintertime? If your roof’s shingles are damaged, water will enter underneath. That means that the water will eventually get inside your house. In the instance of loose shingles, the strong winds will likely blow them off the roof.

You might be able to replace some damaged or loose shingles yourself, but we would recommend that you hire a professional roofer to take care of more in-depth repairs.

Repair Broken Flashing

Roof flashing is a very important part of a well-kept roof. Why? Because it protects your home from water damage by making sure that water stays away from certain areas of one’s roof.

Since roof valleys and overhangs are where ice dams would typically form, you’ll want to make sure your flashing is repaired or replaced. Of course, you’ll want to have a licensed roofer do the work for you for your own safety.

Trim Trees Near Roof

Is it quite an undertaking to trim the trees near your roof? Yes, but it is a must in order to prevent damage to your roof when the winter frost and winds make their rounds. Any overhanging branches would need to be removed because all it takes is one unexpected winter storm to cause major damage to your roof. While you might be able to take care of some smaller branches on your own, you’ll want to hire a professional to get the bigger and harder to reach branches.

Clean Gutters and Downspouts

Cleaning your gutters and downspouts is an important maintenance to-do for every few months, including before winter comes. Clearing them will prevent any clogging which would otherwise lead to ice dams forming on your roof over the course of the winter season.

Ice accumulation around gutters and eaves would likely form an ice dam that would then block roof drainage. While cleaning your gutters and downspouts is something you can technically do on your own, for extra safety precautions, you may want to consider allowing a professional to help with that task.

Improve Attic Ventilation

Since your roof is on top of the attic, you really want to ensure you have the right ventilation for your attic. Believe it or not, that prevents ice dams on the roof. How can you check on that?

You can do this by closing all ingress openings in the attic and holding a piece of tissue paper  toward the exhaust vents to determine if there is any air movement. If there isn’t, you either do not have adequate ventilation or your intake vents are blocked by insulation.

Therefore, a simple solution would be to add more roof vents and remove insulation that could be blocking the vents. An experienced roofer can definitely do this quickly and efficiently for you.

Upgrade Your Insulation

Speaking of insulation, as you are looking into your attic’s ventilation, you should also check for non-existent or damaged insulation as that can cause problems that lead to ice dams.

With hot air from inside your house making its way up to your attic space due to there not being  sufficient insulation to halt heat transfer, the hot air has no choice but to end up at the bottom of the roof deck. As the temperature drops during the night, the frost or rain water on your roof can turn to ice.

To improve your attic’s ventilation, it is recommended that you have more roof vents added and insulation removed that may be blocking the vents.

If you rather not DIY these important roof maintenance measures, we understand completely. At R L Hayes Roofing & Repairs, safety is a top priority and our licensed roofers are experienced in working on roofs in all conditions and during any season. To make sure your roof is ready for winter, contact us for help.