As the winds start to change and that chill is present in the air, you know it is time to start to prepare for the winter. It is likely just around the corner. Making sure your home is ready for the onslaught of snow is an important part of homeownership. One of the biggest areas that you need to prepare is your roof. You are counting on this single part of your home to keep you protected from the harshness of the snow and other severe weather. Nickerson Roofing is here to share some tips to help you ensure your roof is ready for the winter months.

How Do You Inspect a Roof in the Winter?

While your main area of concern is your roof, the proper winter roof inspection starts on the inside of your home. You should be looking for potential problems inside before you step outside to finish the inspection. Things you should be looking for include:
Leaks: This is obviously a big one. Anytime you experience any precipitation this fall, go up in your attic to give things a good inspection. You will be looking for any signs of water damage or even condensation on the insulation and walls of your attic space. If you notice there is any trace of moisture at all, you should contact your roofing company to discuss your options right away before you experience more moisture.
Insulation: Your attic need to be properly insulated to avoid problems with ice damming this winter. When you are armed with the right insulation, you don’t have to worry about the buildup of ice on your roof.
Ventilation: Another key in preventing ice dams, ventilation needs to be present. This constant flow of air will help you avoid the headache of ice dams as well.

How is an Exterior Roof Inspection Done?

Now that you have finished inspecting the attic and interior of your home, you can move to the outside to complete your winter roof inspection. Here are the things that you should be looking at to ensure your roof is ready for winter:
Ice Dams: If you have started to see some storms already, you may notice that ice is starting to form. This is highly destructive to your roof. When water pools up at the edge of your roof and starts to run off, it creates icicles. While these are beautiful, you don’t want them on your house. They place too much pressure on the edges of your roof.
Gutters: You need to make sure your gutters are free from the leaf litter that fall brings. You don’t want anything in your gutters that won’t allow the water to freely flow away from the roof and your home in the case of a storm.
Limbs & Large Branches: Trees are beautiful, but you do not want them to be touching your roof. Any trees limbs and branches that are touching your roof should be trimmed and removed to avoid problems.

Roof Repair, Replacement & More in Truckee, Mystic, Tahoe City, Kings Beach & The North Lake Tahoe Basin of California

If you are in need of a roof inspection as we head into winter, call on the roofing experts at Nickerson Roofing today!