The California winter weather can wreck havoc on your roof. High winds, rain, and dry air can cause many problems for homeowners. Is your roof prepared?
The California winter season is here and you need to be prepared for it. That means doing all sorts of things, but you especially need to prepare your roof. Taking good care of it will protect your home from all sort of problems, so here’s what you need to do to ensure your roof is ready for a Californian winter.
1. Prepare For Poor Weather
You may not be facing down frost or snow, but there’s no denying the weather will take its toll on your roof. High winds and storms can do all sorts, from pulling shingles off to washing the granules off the roof, exposing it to UV rays and subsequent damage. You need to be ready for poor weather to happen, so don’t be complacent about your roof this California winter.
2. Book A Full Inspection
Getting onto your roof is a dangerous prospect for many people. Even if you’re an experienced DIYer, being up so high will be a problem. If you don’t have someone to help you, or just don’t want to risk it, it’s a good idea to book a full inspection.
Roofing companies will come out and take a look at your roof, seeing what needs to happen to get it ready for winter. As they’re experts, they’ll spot things you didn’t see either. It’s a very good idea to call in the experts for the California winter, to help you get your roof ready for the season.
3. Take A Look
Even if you book an inspection, it’s a good idea to take a look at your roof yourself. You can see if any issues jump out at you, so you can tell your roofer to expect. You should be looking for things like missing or broken shingles, damaged flashing, and improper draining.
If you can see any issues, you can start planning to fix them right away. Having this information is essential, as you can stop any potential problems from getting worse.
4. Clean Off Debris
Something else that’s essential to do in winter is to clear off your roof. During the fall, lots of debris will make its way onto the roof, especially if you have trees nearby. Dead leaves and other debris cause all kinds of problems. If they’re left on your roof, you’ll find that they trap moisture underneath them. That’s a serious risk for your roof. They’ll also encourage fungus and mold growth, something you should stop in its tracks.
If you can, get up on the roof and remove the debris from your roof. Keeping it as clean as possible will help avoid all kinds of problems.
5. Trim Your Trees
On the subject of trees, now is the perfect time to trim them. If you’re seeing lots of debris making its way onto the roof, that’s a sign that your trees are too close to the house. Cut away any branches that overhanging your roof, to stop debris making its way onto it. This will also stop branches from falling and damaging the roof if you have a storm.
If you have a tree that’s too close to the house, now’s the time to think about removing it. Look into doing this before the winter weather begins in earnest.
6. Clear Out Your Gutters
Your guttering is another victim of debris, and you need to address this problem now. Get on a ladder and see if any debris has made its way into them. If they’re clogged, water won’t be able to flow through them. That leads to them overflowing back onto the roof, causing leaks, mold, and other problems. If it gets cold enough, it can even lead to ice dams.
It’s easy to clean out your gutters. All you need are a pair of gloves and a trash bag, and you can scoop out the debris and get them clean. Consider installing a gutter guard to stop this happening again.
7. Look Inside Your Attic
When inspecting your roof, you may not see any damage on the outside. That doesn’t mean that it’s totally fine though. You’ll need to take a look at the inside of it to see if there’s anything that needs to be addressed. Get up into your attic and take a look at what’s in there.
Take a good look at the roof deck when you get up there. Are there any signs of the deck sagging, or any staining? Is there mold or rot that you can see? These will need to be addressed ASAP.
8. Check Your Attic’s Ventilation
While you’re in the attic, take a good look at the ventilation in there. Over the summer, if your ventilation wasn’t good enough, you’ll see that damage has occurred. Signs of poor ventilation include warped wood and leaks in your roof.
If you see these signs, call on a roofer to help you. They’ll repair the damage and improve ventilation, ready for next year.
9. Replace Any Missing Shingles
Did you find missing shingles on your inspection? Then they need to be replaced. This is a fairly simple job, so if this is the only job you need to do, then you can tackle it yourself. Remember to stay safe when you attempt it, as safety is your number one priority.
If you replace your roof, it’s a very good idea to keep an extra box of shingles. If you ever need to replace one, you’ll have a box on hand that are the right color and style.
10. Inspect The Roof After A Winter Storm
If a storm comes in over the winter, once it’s over, you need to check your roof. There could be damage, and you’ll want to handle it right away. Get into the habit of doing this, so you’ll be able to catch issues as soon as they happen.
With these ten tips, you’ll be able to get your roof ready for the California winter. Call a roofer to address any problems, and you’ll be ready.