How to Protect Your Roof in Winter

The winter months can be hard on your home, and preparing to protect it is an essential step if you want to avoid costly repairs or insurance claims. Protecting your roof for winter will cost a little upfront, but it will save you lots of time and money in the long run. So say no to emergency roof repairs and expensive insurance claims and yes to a little DIY winterproofing.

Inspect

Give your roof a thorough inspection in the fall. Check for missing shingles and leaks. If something is looking a little rough, consider repairing it before a problem arises. It's also a good time to see if you have any trees with branches growing too close to the roof, or other dangerous foliage that may need to be trimmed before winter.

Checking for visible damage won't take long, but make sure you are being safe and cautious as you do so. It's a good idea to take a partner in crime with you to help keep you safe on the roof and on the ladder.

Clean

While you're up on the roof, make sure to inspect those gutters. There's a good chance that you've got a handful of debris in your gutters, so get cleaning. Cleaning your gutters is essential for a lot of reasons, but especially for roof safety in the winter. We recommend cleaning your gutters in the fall, especially if you have trees that drop leaves near the roof. If you end up with a jammed gutter during the snowy season, you may end up with bigger problems than improper drainage and bad roof runnof. Gutters are essential to the integrity of the roof, so it's definitely worth an afternoon of cleaning.

Walk Through

Your attic needs to be inspected before winter too. Walk through your attic and make sure you can't see any damage to the roof from the inside. Sometimes you'll find problems inside that you didn't see outside. Another task you need to tackle is making sure you attic is well ventilated in the winter months. Check your roof vents and insulation and replace or fix them up as needed.

Vents and insulation keep your home safe and protect your roof from certain types of water or mositure-related damage. This, in turn, protects your home too.

Inspect

Give your roof a thorough once-over to find any potential trouble spots like loose shingles or rotting boards.

If you live in an older home or find you may need a second opinion, call a professional roof inspector. Inspectors can spot potential problems and help you solve them long before the first flurry falls in the winter. Professionals can also help you with any needed repairs.

Wathching a pro walkthrough your attic and around your roof can also help you to know what to look for in the future. While it will cost a little, it's a great learning opportunity.

Tips for the Winter

In the winter, when there is snow on the roof, there are things you can do to protect your roof. If your roof doesn't have much of a slope and snow gets really compacted up there, these tips are especially for you. Roofs with low or no slope are prone to much more snow damage than roofs with steeper slopes.

If you're worried about the snowpack on your roof, take a roof rake to the roof to gently break up the snow. This will speedup the natural melting process and keep large drifts from forming on the roof. Be very careful when you rake the roof. It's an easy process, but it's not risk free. Don't use a roof rake right after a big freeze or during a windy time of day.

You can also use two ladders and a rope to remove snow. Find a snow buddy and stretch the rope across the roof from your ladder to theirs. Make sure the rope is high up. Then, slowly drag the rope down the roof at the same speed as your partner. This will break up the snow and pull some of it off the roof.

Ready to winterize your roof but need help with roof repairs? We've got you covered.