It’s autumn: the time when homeowners begin preparing their houses for the winter season. Fall roof maintenance is essential to keeping your home dry, insulated, and safe throughout the winter. It’s a simple process that doesn’t take much time. All you have to do is follow a few key tips.
Here are some of the top roof maintenance tips from our team of roofing contractors in Minneapolis.
Start with the Trees
Fall roof maintenance begins with smart landscaping. It’s no surprise that one of the best things you can do to protect your roof is to prevent anything from crashing down on it.
Step outside and take a look at the trees that are around your house. Are any leaning a bit too far over for comfort? It’s best to take down trees that are leaning too far over or look unstable. Take note of any large branches that are within striking distance of your home. During the winter, heavy amounts of snow can weigh down branches. When you combine that with heavy winds, they can break off and cause severe damage to your roof.
If you are unsure about the trees around your home, it may be a good idea to bring in a professional landscaping company to give you advice on which branches and trees need to be taken down.
Clean Those Gutters
While you’re outside looking over your tree situation, you should also make sure that your gutters are free of any sticks, leaves, dirt, and other types of debris. Clogged gutters are a hazard during the winter, especially if snow and ice begin to build up in them.
Moving Inside: Is Your Home Well Insulated
After you’ve cleaned all the gunk out of your gutters, it’s time to take a trip up to your attic to check on your insulation. Besides your windows, your attic is the most likely place heat will escape from. A properly insulated attic space can save you big on your heating bill all winter long.
Last But Not Least: Get a Proper Roof Inspection
It’s hard to tell if your roof is damaged or needs to be replaced, which is why it is always smart to have it checked out before the winter weather starts dumping snow down on top of it. If your roof is more than 15 years old (depending on the type of material used), it may need significant repairs or to be replaced completely.
There are signs to look out for that indicate if you need to get your roof replaced, so it never hurts to contact a roofing company and have them inspect your roof. At Schmidt Roofing, we are always willing to come out and perform a free estimate on any roof repairs you may need, so contact our team today to schedule an appointment.
