Is Your Roof Ready for Winter?

Fall is here. Time for hayrides, pumpkin carving and raking the lawn. At least the first two sound fun! Something many of us are not thinking about while we're looking at the ground raking is our roof maintenance.

It is recommended to have a licensed roofing contractor inspect your roof annually - at a minimum. This is generally done in either autumn or spring to prepare for the upcoming season and repair any roof damage caused by the previous season. While that may not be in your budget this year, there are some things you can do yourself. Here are four simple tips to checking your roof over for the upcoming winter months.

1. Really take the time to check your shingles. That view from the ground just isn't cutting it. Get up on the roof and check them. It's important to look for shingles that are peeling, missing or losing their grain. Without the grain, asphalt shingles become brittle and begin to crack - just begging water to come in. If you find this damage, repair or replace them.


2. Check for any moss or mold that may have formed on the shingles. It may even be in between the shingles. You can purchase a solution specifically for roof moss and mold, spray it on and use a broom to remove. Voila! An easy one but remember to never use a power washer to clean your roof. It can cause the protective layer to come up eliminating the UV protection.


3. While you're up on the roof, repair any damaged flashing. Flashing is the material installed between your roof and any wall, such as your chimney or skylight. It is meant to keep leaks out but snow and strong winds can make roof flashings loose. Tighten them up and make sure they are not cracked. This is a very common place for snow to melt and create roof leaks.


4. Everyone's favorite chore - cleaning the gutters! Be sure your gutters and downspouts are secure and clean. We all know how time consuming and annoying this task is - so hire a professional to do it if you really can't bear the thought of doing it yourself. This one is really important.

Photo © www.istockphoto.com/maunger Gutter cleaning.