The coldest days of the year are just around the bend, and many residents in Medford, Oregon, are beginning to prepare their homes for the holiday season. As you start focusing on decorating the inside and hanging lights outside of your house, it’s vital to remember the importance of making sure your home’s roof is ready to endure colder weather conditions. Here are three simple ways you can prep your roof for the winter before the temperatures get too low:
1. Clean Your Gutters
The downspouts become clogged as leaves, rocks, sticks, and other debris accumulate in your gutters. The extra weight from debris can also cause your gutters to collapse or result in rainwater overflowing and inflicting major water damage your roof.
Be sure to clear your gutters consistently throughout the fall and winter to reduce the chances of these problems occurring. You can do a more comprehensive cleaning once the trees surrounding your home have lost all their leaves. If you have a large number of trees around your home, you may want to consider installing gutter guards or screens to help keep debris out of your gutters as the leaves continue to fall.
2. Check Your Roof’s Surface
Along with thoroughly cleaning your gutters, it’s important to check and clear off the surface of your roof before temperatures get uncomfortably low. Even relatively small bundles of debris that contain moisture can erode your roof’s protective materials. Removing leaves, sticks, pine needles, and other debris from the surface will help keep your roof dry and assist in preventing long-term damages resulting from the impact of moisture on the roof’s surface.
3. Look for Signs of Damage
When your roof is completely clean, make a point to look carefully at the surface for any signs of damages. Pay special attention to any missing or damaged shingles, especially those that appear to have bent or cracked edges. You should also look for any signs of leaking in the flashing, vent stacks, skylights and chimneys, because these areas are most vulnerable to developing cracks and leaks.