Winter Home Care: Up on the Roof
October 10, 2011
Despite its prominence at the top of the house, the roof’s often the first thing to be forgotten when it comes to preparing for winter. But whatever other homecare chores you carry out, they will be pointless if you ignore your roof as leaks from split shingles or missing, broken slates can have a real impact on your home both inside and out; so whatever else you are thinking of doing to be ready for the coming winter, think about getting your roof a checkup first!
Your Safety First
• Never go up onto the roof unless you absolutely know what to do and how to get about safely on a roof top. If in doubt, hire a reputable builder or roofer to give your roof the once-over.
• Never go up to the roof when you are alone. Always have someone around, even if they are just holding the ladder.
… And Then the Roof
• Loose or broken tiles can be under threat when cold weather creeps in! The tiles can become vulnerable to moisture freezing in the crack or beneath areas of broken tiles, causing further roof damage both to tiles and joists. Only replace tiles if you know what you are doing, otherwise your mistakes could cost you more than you are trying to save. If in doubt, call in a specialist!
• Whilst you are up the ladder, do also check your gutters. Blocked gutters can cause a number of problems to both roofs and walls – water that cannot run off through the proper channels will pool or run off elsewhere, either of which can cause damage and result in ice where you really don’t want it when a cold snap comes!
• Similarly, a flat roof needs to be checked for splits or for problems with run off. If water is not running off the roof properly, it could cause bowing from the weight of water, or even more severe damage if the water freezes and splits the asphalt. Choose a dry day to make good any minor repairs and to remove any unwanted plant growth from the roof.
• Make sure that your checking includes the shingles. Cracked, split or curling shingles are vulnerable to problems from high winds driving rain underneath, which can cause leakage into the roof areas below, including the inside of your house.
… And Finally
• Do pop up into your attic on a bright day and inspect the inside of the roof. If you can see the daylight coming through anything that’s not a window, a repair is needed!
• Remember that, as with all home repairs, a small fix early on can save you time, money and inconvenience later, so if you do spot a problem, don’t ignore it because it will only deteriorate further over the coming winter!
