Is Your Roof Ready For Another Winter?
Winter is Just Around the Corner
It's the Time for Family Fun & Recreation
Nobody wants to be up on a roof on a hot summer day. You’ve likely been busy golfing and camping all summer and haven’t been up close with your roof since spring, so the first thing you want to have checked is, how does it look? Any missing shingles? Some aspects of your roof are not visible from the ground, and it is important that all areas are inspected. Do you notice any sag in the roof ridge line? Any fallen trees/branches? If so, you’ll need roof repairs before winter sets in, before the damage is covered with snow, putting your home’s roof decking, insulation, frame, ceiling tiles, dry wall and flooring is at risk of being damaged by the water leaking in through the roof.
Are you a little concerned about how well your roof will hold out this coming winter and want a professionals opinion. Give Far West Roofing, Inc. a call today for a FREE No-Obligation Assessment and Consultation
Apply Caulk and Sealant Where Needed
While the roofing specialist is up there examining the shingles, remind them to kneel down and take a up close look at in any areas where shingles meet flashing, bricks, plumbing stacks, antenna mounts, etc. These areas often have a bead of sealant as an additional water-shedding aid, and over years this sealant can weather and crack, so you should repair/re-seal any such weathered spots with a suitable roofing sealant.
Inspect Rain Gutters
Avoid ice damming and dangerously large ice-cycles from forming by making sure your gutters are flowing freely. It is common for gutters, unless they’re protected by a gutter guard, to collect leaves and other debris from the roof (like a baseball). This debris should be cleaned out allowing rain and melting snow to drain and be properly channeled off your roof and away from your home’s foundation. So before winter or the first snow fall its best to clear all debris from your rain gutters and then run a garden hose in your eaves-troughs to flush them out just to make sure there is free flow through the downspouts as well.
Small amounts of Granules in the Gutters is Normal
Granules protect your shingles from the Sun’s harmful rays as well as the impact of hail or baseballs. They are not for water proofing so loosing some will not effect your shingles ability to shed water, so need worry if you notice small amounts of granules in the gutters. It is normal to find small amounts of granules in your gutters as the shingles are nearing the end of their expected life cycle you will notice larger amounts of granules in your rain gutters each time but as long as you don’t notice areas on the shingles that have no protective granules at all they are still being protected from the harmful effects of the sun.
Inspect Your Attic
Lastly, it would be a good idea to have a quick peek in the attic. Make sure you have a good amount of evenly distributed insulation (ensure it’s not blocking any roof vents, especially near the edges of the attic, where the soffits are). Adequate insulation helps keep your home’s warm air in the home where you need it, and not wafting up under your shingles where it can be a factor in the formation of roof ice dams.