Preparing Your Roof For Winter
In My Mount Laurel, NJ
Tips To Handle The Winter
Months With Ease
You experience various bad weather year-round – and you can prepare your roof for it. Protect your property with winter maintenance tips in Mount Laurel, NJ.
At Ameritech Services, we know a lot about roofs and the potential warning signs that you could have a problem. We’ll tell you what to look out for and what to do about roof problems.
A Few Things To Do While Checking Your
Home’s Roof For Winter Maintenance
While you should keep your eyes on your roof consistently and look for changes, checking on the following before winter starts can help you avoid bigger problems:
Roofline
We are specifically talking about where your roof ends, so once you see the ends of your shingles, you can be certain you are looking at the roofline. This is a very simple check, as you only want to ensure that your roofline is completely straight all around.
If you do see any areas where the roofline looks like it’s damaged or sagging, you’ll still have time to get it fixed before winter, when additional weight can cause serious problems.
The major causes of a sagging roofline include deterioration or rotting within the plywood decking that holds the important parts of your roof hardware up.
Check Your Attic
Before you have snow on your roof, it’s a good idea to check your attic for signs of water damage. The most obvious signs will be the visible presence of water. A couple more indicators include a dripping noise or the smell of water. If you do happen to see wet insulation, that means that water may have been present recently.
While finding any problems in your attic isn’t reassuring, you are better off identifying these issues before your roof is covered in snow and the chance of having major leaks increases.
Check Your Flashing
It will be difficult to know from the ground about the condition of your flashing. Flashing is a metallic material placed around areas like your chimney and vents to keep water from getting in through the edges of your shingle line. If you notice obvious stains on your roof near the chimney or vents, this is an indicator.
There are places within your home you can check. The vents leading up to your roof are in your bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room. You’ll want to check in these rooms for any signs of water damage on the ceiling, including water spots or discoloration.
Spotting these issues beforehand allows you to get problems fixed before they worsen!
Trim Low Branches
You generally don’t want branches coming too close to your roof. They can scratch shingles and wear them out faster, and a loose branch could also easily fall and cause damage. Trimming your trees a little can go a long way. You can also trim low branches in the summer and fall to keep your roof safe year-round.
Should I Shovel My Roof If It’s Covered In Deep
Snow For Winter Roof Maintenance?
First, we don’t recommend that you, the homeowner, climb on your roof to shovel snow. Getting up on your roof is usually dangerous without some experience!
With that out of the way, you can get a roof rake that removes excess snow from your roof. You don’t necessarily need to, as most roofs are designed to handle the weight of snow – though keep in mind that wear and tear is possible regardless.
If you want to remove snow from your roof, we suggest having a contractor do it. They have experience working in all conditions on a rooftop and can safely remove the snow, eliminating the risk you would have been taking doing it yourself.
Call Ameritech Services For Help With Winter Roof
Maintenance For Your Mount Laurel, NJ Home
At Ameritech Services, we offer roof replacement, repairs, and inspections. We’ll be happy to provide some advice on keeping your family’s roof safe and winter-ready. Schedule an in-person consultation with us or call us at 856-418-1029.