During winter, heavy rain, storms, and wind are common occurrences, and they can cause a lot of damage to roofs. Before the winter season, you need to know some easy ways to protect your roof from potential wind damage, which can include cracked shingles, holes in the roof, loosened roof components and moisture leaks.
Easy Ways To Protect Your Roof From Wind Damage
Here are many easy ways to protect your roof against damages…
Roof Inspection
Regularly inspecting your roof can protect or prevent further damages from happening to your roof. Damages that are left unrepaired will only get worse and result in a costly replacement of the roof.
Inside your house you should look for browning dark spots, or bubbling and blistering paint on ceilings. These signs are indicators of water damage. You should also check for damp spots that may be forming near fireplaces.
After heavy winds, check your roof for either damaged or missing shingles, signs of wear and tear, and whether your flashing is still solid or not.
Deal With Trees
Strong winds can cause trees to fall on your roof. This will not only create punctures on your roof but also may result in a roof collapse. Take a walk around your home and inspect the trees surrounding the house. If you notice any tree that is rotting, simply cut it down before a heavy storm lands it on your roof.
On windy days, overgrown tree branches can cause serious damage to your shingles. Winds can also lead to broken limbs directly falling on your roof. Also, overgrown tree branches are an avenue for rodents, especially squirrels, to access your roof, which will expose it to gnawing damage.
To protect your roof, maintain a 10-foot clearing between your roof and tree branches by trimming them.
Use Protective Material
Using protective material, like plywood, to cover your roof before a storm can help protect it from wind damage. You should contact a professional roofer if there are any questions about what other materials you can use or how to apply the protective material to your roof.
A professional roofer will inspect your roof and will recommend protective materials based on what they see.
Secure Or Remove Items That Could Move
When the weather is calm and nice, items like yard equipment, patio furniture, and children’s toys are harmless. But these items can become hazardous items during a storm. Even an item as harmless as a rubber trash container could become hazardous when flying around with severe winds carrying it along… When these things hit your roof, they could cause damage to it. So, an easy way to avoid problems is to remove these things from outside or securely tie down those things which can’t easily be removed.
Close All Windows And Doors Tightly
Leaving your windows and doors open, especially during a bad storm, leaves your roof susceptible to wind damage because once heavy wind makes it into your home, its forcefulness will push it upwards, which may eventually result in roof damage.
Clear Gutters
The importance of gutters to roof maintenance cannot be overlooked. Gutters help water get off your roof. When the path gets blocked, water will remain on your roof. Water lodging on your roof can result in leaks and other issues. Also, if your gutters get too heavy, they can break off easily and fall, possibly taking a bit of your roof along with them.
Take Warnings Seriously
Sometimes the weather prediction is accurate, and other times it is not as serious as predicted. These fluctuations can leave you with an unconcerned attitude about weather forecasts. You should treat every weather warning as a real threat. This will enable you to always be prepared and not get caught off guard.
Use Hail And Wind-Resistant Products
There are certain shingles on the market that can withstand hail and wind better than other roofing products. Wind resistant products like Class IV shingles, which have an impact resistance rating of UL 2218, can be installed. These shingles can withstand the impact of wind and large hailstones up to 110 mph!
Hire A Professional Roofer
A professional roofer will conduct an inspection and identify problem areas you may have missed during your own inspection from the ground. It is possible that simply installing roof ties is all it takes to prepare your roof for the next storm to best protect it from wind damage. Since professional roofers know what to look for, they are in the best position to suggest repairs and provide ideas about storm preparation best practices.
Conclusion
These are some of the important and easy ways to protect your roof from wind damage before a storm. You might be able to do some of these things by yourself or you may need the assistance of professionals. Born Carpentry is ready to help you prepare your roof for winter weather as well as storms bringing damaging winds.
