When fall comes around, many people start thinking winterizing their homes for the winter. The majority of homeowners tend to focus on their doors, windows, and walls. These are likely culprits where cool air can enter the home, and for that reason, they do need to be dealt with to ensure that the home is kept warm throughout the wintertime. However, did you know that 35 percent of the heat in your home is actually lost through your roof? Is that one statement enough for you to realize the importance of focusing some of your winterizing efforts on your roof? Hopefully, it is, and the good news is that it isn’t expensive or complex. Here is a checklist of what needs to be done.
Prior to being able to perform any work, it is important to check the condition of your roof. As soon as the rain and snow begin pouring down on the roof, all it takes is the smallest of defects or abnormalities to turn into a more severe issue. You want to look for punctures and splits, as these are the primary reasons for roof leaks, and uplifts that are often a result of strong winds.
Uplifts tend to depend on the area where you live and whether you are living within a windy area, the chances of this is far more likely. The signs of roof damage are noticeable with the naked eye.
Whenever you notice that something is wrong with your roof, an important choice will need to be made: repair or replace the roof. For example, if a shingle is missing, then the obvious option is to replace it. The problem here is that it tends to result in you fixing a larger section of the roof.
Most importantly, because of the source of damage, it is unlikely that the damage will occur on a small surface. Therefore, it is improbable that it is only a few shingles that will need to be replaced. For that reason, your project may be a tad more ruthless and could require extra equipment.
Repairing the roof isn’t all that is necessary to winterize it. In some cases, some routine maintenance can take care of things as well. First, you will need to clean the gutter system. However, keep in mind that regardless of the number of times that you have cleaned your gutters that this is a dangerous job.
With that being said, you should inform someone that you are cleaning the gutters, get a secure ladder, and clear debris to prepare the roof. Other than these steps, you should wear a pair of good work gloves and utilize a plastic scooping tool.
It is important for the roof to keep hot air from escaping, which essentially would mean that you need to shut it off. However, if ventilation is ignored and the air is stopped from circling the roof, then you will do two things: 1) make the roof more vulnerable to wind damage, and 2) increase the effects of mold.
The latter of those is especially important since mold is among the main culprits related to roof damage. Luckily, it is also one that is relatively easy to prevent and predict.
Of course, when it comes to insulating your attic or installing a new roof, you can drastically improve your home’s energy efficiency during the wintertime. Regardless, though, projects like these can be expensive, though they can yield a positive return on investment (ROI) in the end. Nonetheless, the aforementioned methods can be accomplished in under a week’s time and on a minimum budget, meaning they can be a last-ditch effort to winterize your roof.
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