Winter Roofing Preparation
Those of us who live in the northeast know at some point as early as late fall that rough weather is on the way. Strong winds, frost, snow and ice can wreak havoc on your roof, skylights, chimney and gutters. Try to find time to inspect any of these and the surrounding areas that you can access. Also check the inside of your home, particularly the attic. If you have outside light coming through or find water stains, rotted wood and/or anything else that looks suspicious, have it inspected and repaired while the weather is still calm and long before the first winter storm.
Always keep your gutters, downspouts and drains free of leaves, twigs and other debris. Older shingles start to break down and the granules will eventually pile up in the gutters. All it takes is one tiny clump of brittle leaves, twigs, granules and other debris to bunch up and stop the flow of water. When the trapped water freezes it will result in the formation of ice dams. If these are not removed, they will continue to grow and push up the roof edge. This will cause future rain and snow to pool on the roof. As the pools of water repeatedly freeze and melt, they weaken the shingles which are already more brittle due to the cold temperature. When left unrepaired, they will eventually cave under their own weight and cause major damage to the inside of your home as well. If possible, carefully remove accumulating snow from the roof edge with a broom before it freezes and exacerbates the damage.