Many people think that a roof is just a flat piece of material over the top of their house. This couldn’t be further from the truth! A roof protects your home and family from rain, wind, snow, hail, sun exposure and more. In this blog post we’ll show you how to weatherproof your roof with some easy tips.
Consider The Climate Of Your Area
Most roofs are designed based off the climate of the area in which they are being built. Roofs made for a wetter climate will never be able to handle dryer climates, and vice versa. This is due to “R” values, or how well insulation works. Roofs that are made for cold (Northern) climates tend have lower R-Values, while Roofs that are made for warmer climates (Southern) often have higher R-values. Therefore, if you live on the warm side of your state you may need new roofing materials.
Install A Roof Vent
Install a roof vent to keep snow and rain from accumulating on your roof in winter. A Roof Vent is simply a small exhaust fan on the roof, close to where it meets your home. Roof vents are important because they create a “chimney effect” that pulls hot air out from inside of your house and draws in cooler air. Roof vents are also good at preventing moisture buildup around your home. If you live in an area with extremely cold winters, you should consider installing 2 or 3 roof vents so that warm moist air can escape properly.
Don’t Be Afraid To Replace Old Shingles!
Shingles wear down over time and start to break apart or fall off during storms. While this may not seem like a big deal, these tiny pieces of shingles can actually blow into ventilation systems and your roof gutters, causing hundreds of dollars in damage! If you notice that your shingles are starting to wear down, contact a Roofing Contractor immediately.
Aeration and Ventilation System
Install an aeration and ventilation system to make sure the ice never builds up on your Roof during winter. This is one of the most inconspicuous but effective ways to weatherproof your Roof. An Aeration and Ventilation System is a fan with power cables that run into your attic space (where the insulation is). These fans use electricity to prevent ice from ever forming by blowing warm air over the cold surface areas where snow tends to accumulate. Therefore, it always keeps these areas warm enough so that icicles don’t form or freeze over, preventing a dangerous Roof situation in which portions of your Roof may cave in on you.
Use Metal Flashing When
When Roofing Contractors are replacing Roof shingles or Roof Shingle Roof, they often notice that places where two Roofs meet (such as the Roof and a gutter) have holes in them. These holes are caused by water damage from storms and freezing temperatures over time. A quick fix for this is to install some flashing around the hole to protect it from future damage. Flashing is available at hardware stores and home improvement centers, but if your roofer sells you metal flashing make sure he installs it correctly! Metal flashing can be installed with screws or nails along the seams of two Roofs so that they “butt up” against each other with no gaps in between. By doing this, Water will never be able to get behind the Roof and cause further Roof damage.
Install Ice & Water Shield Around Your Chimney
Install ice & water shield around your chimney for protection from wind-driven rain, snow, and sleet. Roof Contractors can inspect your chimney and Roof for any possible gaps that may occur when the Roof is very old. After inspecting your Roof, Roofing Contractors will often recommend you purchase an ice & water shield kit to install around your chimneys. Ice & Water shields are a type of metal membrane that contractors use to easily wrap around metal structures like chimneys. While installing ice & water shields can be somewhat difficult, they pay off in the long run by preventing leaks from forming on top of your Roof during storms.
Get A Roof Constructed with Stronger Materials
If you live in a very stormy place or have had problems with Roof damage from past storms, consider getting a roof constructed out of heavier or more durable materials than normal Roofs. Roofing Contractors will have a variety of Roof materials to choose from, so you should discuss your options with them before deciding which Roof material is best for your home.
Replace Roof flashing
If you need to replace Roof flashing due to water damage, make sure that the Roofing Contractor replaces it with a brand-new piece of metal flashing. Roof flashing is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions and is easy for Roofers to install on your Roof. Also, be careful about using materials other than metal flashing on your Roof, such as caulk (which was often used in the past for flashing) because it can crack and break apart easily. Roofers will always insist that Roofers use Roofing metal flashing instead of other materials. If you are concerned about a Roof leak occurring over time from faulty flashing, contact your Roofer to ask him to replace it with Roofing metal flashing.
Re-seal your Roof
If there are any leaky or broken areas on the shingles that are the cause of Roof leaks, you should have them re-sealed. Roofers will often do Roof repairs for Roof leaks or Roofing damage before they install your new Roof, because it is much cheaper to fix the Roof than to replace it. If you are looking into repairing a large leak on your Roof or fixing broken shingles, contact a Roofing contractor and have them come over to your Roof to inspect it. Roofing Contractors will sometimes also do Roof repair work if they are installing your Roof as well, and sometimes Roof leak repairs are covered by the Roof warranty so you don’t have to pay extra for Roof repairs.
