How to winterize your roof

If you live in a northern state that has hard winters with snow and ice storms, below freezing temperatures and lots of moisture, checking your roof and getting it ready for winter should be one thing you do every fall.

Here in Chicago, we have these kind of winters. Champion Roofing is the roofing specialist for all your winterizing needs. There are many things you can do yourself to prevent or minimize roofing problems. When problems do occur, call us!

WINTERIZING STEPS:

• Get on the roof! You need to get a close look, not just a “from the yard” view. If you are unable to get up there yourself, have an experienced roofer come and check it for you.
• Look for missing, cracked or broken shingles and replace them. Damaged shingles can cause leaks and structural damage to your house that a simple repair can eliminate.
• Check all the flashing (the metal areas) for any tears, warping or holes and fix them if necessary. Flashing is used on roofs to prevent leaks at roof joints, around chimneys and vent pipes and anywhere else on a roof that the shingled area is compromised.
• If you have trees near your roof, trim back any branches that touch the roof (or could touch it when weighed down by ice or snow). Every year, many roofs are damaged by branches breaking from trees and breaking shingles.
• Clean off dead leaves, dirt and other debris. If debris is left on a roof, mold and mildew will grow as the organic stuff starts to rot from moisture and this is damaging to roofs.
• Inspect and clean out rain gutters. If your gutters are clogged with dead leaves and dirt, water will back up onto the roof and freeze. This damages not only the roof, but also the siding and eaves of the house.
• Check your roof for any signs of pest damage. Squirrels, mice, raccoons and bats have all been known to damage shingles and flashing. Make sure there are no small openings that small pests can get into when they are looking for a warm spot to live. Wasps, termites and other bugs that may have invaded your roof also need to be eliminated.
• Don’t forget to inspect your chimney. Make sure it is unobstructed and in good repair. Chimney fires can be extremely damaging to roofs.

In the greater Chicago, Illinois area, call Champion Roofing for all of your roofing concerns, questions and needs. We are the roofing specialists that will make sure you are ready for a Chicago winter.