The condition of your roof is an important element to your home's protection from the weather and outside conditions. From wind, snow, ice build-up, and rainfall, your roof is exposed to all types of damage that can infiltrate its layers and cause interior damage. Here are some recommendations and tips to help you keep your roof in great condition despite all the various weather and their effects on your home.
Watch For Storm Damage
Hail damage to your shingles is one that can occur and not give you a whole lot of signs that your roof has been damaged. When a hailstone hits a shingle, it creates a bruise within the shingle and removes the granules within a small area. When these granules are gone, the shingle is exposed to moisture intrusion, which causes further deterioration to the shingle, and before long the small bruise begins to grow larger.
You can watch for hail damage by the number of granules that wash down from your roof via the gutters and downspouts. After a storm, look at the number of granules that are deposited below the downspout or splash block. You can also arrange a roof inspection by your local roofer if you suspect this has occurred. They can repair the shingles that are affected and look for other areas that contain damage from the storm.
High winds can often accompany hail in a storm, and with high winds, you can often get loosened shingles. A loose shingle will still look fine from the ground, but it will not provide the protection you need. And eventually, a loose shingle will let rain and snow onto the roofing deck and under layers and can crack and break off your roof during a heavy storm. So, it is important that you have this type of damage repaired by a professional roofer.
Protect Against Ice Dams
Ice dams are an occurrence that can slowly damage your roof over the winter as the layers of ice build up. When ice forms around your shingles, it can separate the shingles from your roofing deck, causing the resulting spring melt to get into your attic, ceiling, and walls.
If you have experienced ice dams in a previous winter, your roofer can install some protection against ice dams, including roof edge heating cables or a layer of snow and ice barrier under your shingles if you replace your roof. The problem of ice dams originates from your roof getting too warm during the winter, either from heat escaping your home into your attic space and poor ventilation in the attic where heat will collect. Both of these cause your roof to warm, so you want to keep a cool roof in the winter.
Reach out to a roofing professional for more information.
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