Taking Care Of Your Roofing This Winter
Winter is the perfect time to get your roofing inspected and to make sure it is in the best possible condition as you enter the rest of the year. In Florida, a wintertime roof inspection makes sense because winter is the driest season of the year.
There are a number of things you can do to take good care of your roof – and thus of everything your roof protects (your whole home) this winter. Here are five tips on what to do!
1. Schedule A Professional Roof Inspection
As mentioned earlier, the relative scarcity of rainfall during the winter months in Florida makes it an ideal time to get a professional roof inspection done on your home.
It will also be easier to schedule one since winter tends to be the slow season for most roofing contractors. And an inspection will alert you to any problems that may exist with your roofing so you can promptly deal with them.
2. Clean Up Your Yard & Trim Your Trees
Don’t wait for storm season and hurricane warnings to arrive before taking precautions. Rid your yard of needless clutter that could be caught up in the wind and flung against your roof.
And be sure to remove deadwood and trim back tree limbs that overhang your home. Such branches pose a danger to your roofing during a severe storm and can make it easier for pests to get on your roof and into your house – which brings us to the next point.
3. Rodent-proof Your Roof & Attic
Aside from leak prevention, good roof maintenance also helps to keep rodents and other pests out of your attic. Did you know that the majority of rodent infestations begin in the attic and spread from there through the rest of the house?
Patching any gaps in your roofing, putting in wire mesh or other deterrents where appropriate, and repairing any shingles or roof decking that constitute a weak point will all help to keep the pests and rodents out.
4. Upgrade Your Attic, Not Just Your Roofing
If you find any repairs that need to be done to your roof, do them of course. The longer you delay, the worse the problem will become and the greater the risk of a costly roof leak.
But remember that insulating and ventilating your attic will help extend the life of your shingles. It will also reduce the risk of moisture build-up that could rot or mold your roof deck or rafters. On top of that, an attic upgrade will increase the energy efficiency of your home.
5. Assess If It’s Time For A Re-roofing Job
Another thing to consider is that your roof may not be fit to go through a whole other year of difficult Florida weather. Once a roof begins to age, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes highly vulnerable to leaks, shingle blow-offs, and other frequent repairs.
You don’t want to replace a perfectly sound roof, of course, but on the other hand, it’s far better to get ahead of the game than to wait too long and regret it. Take the time to honestly assess whether or not it may be time for full roof replacement.
For timely roofing advice from an experienced professional, or for a quote on a roof repair or re-roofing job, do not hesitate to contact Sheegog Contracting in Central Florida today!