As fall comes to a close, many homeowners will start to prepare their properties for the upcoming winter weather. Homeowners will generally complete tasks like raking up the leaves, putting away their lawn furniture and turning off their external water lines.
However, the majority of homeowners tend to ignore the most important task of all: prepping their roofs.
Unlike the tasks mentioned above, prepping your roof for winter isn’t something that can be done in an afternoon. It’s a time-consuming task that needs to be taken seriously. If you want to ensure that your roof stays in good condition over the winter months, you need to call on the pros at Metro Roofing.
If you’ve not heard of us in the past, we are a team of residential roofing experts in Toronto & the GTA with over 35 years of residential roofing experience. Our team of experienced roofers are constantly improving their techniques to meet the unique needs of our clients. Not to mention, we’ve worked on practically every type of residential building imaginable, so we know how to tackle any roofing situation.
If you want peace of mind this winter, you need to make use of this list of roof maintenance tips as soon as possible.
1 – Framework Evaluation
Before anything else, you need to get your framework evaluated by a professional. Although you may be tempted to do this task by yourself, you most likely don’t have the expertise to spot hard-to-see damage.
By getting your framework evaluated by a professional, you can pre-emptively deal with pesky leaks. If left unfixed, these leaks can lead to hundreds or thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.
If you do end up getting a leak in your house, you can give us a call – we offer an emergency leak service and are on call 24/7. This means that you can count on us to keep your property and belongings safe.
2 – Inspect the Shingles Thoroughly
The shingles are the exoskeleton of the roof. Shingles protect your roof from animals, moisture and debris. However, it’s not uncommon for shingles to become curled, loose or dislodged – this is particularly true if the shingles are several years old.
If you want to minimize the chances of your roof suffering serious damage, you need to make sure that you get your shingles inspected every year.
Some homeowners will perform an introductory inspection by themselves before calling in a roofing company. This may be cost-effective; however, it is quite dangerous and not recommended. Instead of putting yourself in harm’s way, you should let us take care of the shingle inspection.
Our team of professionals have been trained to spot and fix the smallest inconsistencies in a residential roof. Additionally, we are happy to educate you about every aspect of the inspection and replacement process.
If you want your shingles to be even more durable, we are happy to go the extra mile. Our team will storm-proof your shingles by adding storm nails to the repaired areas. We can also seal the repaired areas with tar to protect them from the excessive moisture caused by snow and ice. To learn more about us and our shingle-replacement methods, you can contact our team today.
3 – Prep Your Skylight
Do you have a skylight in your home? If you answered yes, then you need to start prepping it for winter right away.
Even though the glass is a skylight is very durable, it’s not unbreakable. If a large chunk of snow or ice falls on the skylight, it could shatter the pane of glass.
Additionally, if the temperatures become cold enough, the glass in the skylight can start to crack. This can lead to water and air leaks.
If you don’t want your skylight to get damaged over the winter, you should remove any large tree limbs that are hanging close to the skylight. This will prevent large amounts of snow from building up, which could potentially fall on the skylight.
4 – Keep the Roof Clean
After all of the repairs have been made, you need to do one final clean up. If you have a flat roof, make sure that it is free of stones, leaves and other debris.
Similarly, if you have a slanted roof, you should make sure that nothing is jammed between the shingles. This can potentially create an entranceway for animals that are looking for shelter from the cold winter weather.
5 – Keep an Eye on Your Roof
Even if you’ve taken all of the preventative measures, your roof may see some wear and tear over the winter months.
If your roof gets damaged, make note of it and let us know as quickly as possible. Even the smallest issues can grow into serious problems if left unattended. But, by letting us know, you are doing your due diligence as a homeowner.
Many homeowners like to say that they are thankful for the roof over their heads. However, they fail to complete several of the essential maintenance tasks that keep their roofs from getting damaged. If you want to avoid expensive roof repairs, make sure you use our tips this winter.
