When many homeowners think about taking a look at their roof, it’s usually during those first few moments after a big Connecticut storm. Maybe there are shingles lying in the driveway, tree limbs in the landscaping, or shingle granules collecting in the downspouts. While a roof inspection is crucial in any of these scenarios, it’s equally as important before the storm. Getting your roof prepared for the next storm can go a long way in possibly limiting the damage you incur.
Is it possible to completely stormproof your roof? No. Mother Nature has a knack for winning that battle more often than not. But here are five tips to make sure your roof is as prepared as possible for the next storm.
Schedule a professional roof inspection beforehand
Calling your trusted roofing contractor for a quick roof inspection before — not just after — a storm can uncover potential problem areas. This includes previous damage to flashing or gutters, missing or damaged shingles, weak points in your roof, and more. Sure, these items may be very minor at the time, but they’ll be a bigger issue eventually.
Inspect your roof from the inside out
No one is asking you to hop on your roof and do an inspection. In all seriousness, please leave that to trained professionals like the ones here at MJT Roofing. However, what you can do is look for signs of trouble from the inside out. This includes visible water stains on bedroom ceilings or in the attic. Peeling paint or wet insulation can also be a telltale sign that something is wrong with your roof. Stand in your driveway and look up at the roof — can you see shingles that are missing, curled, or buckled? Make a note of these items, and then call us out to take a look.
Clean your gutters
Another tip to make sure your roof is prepared for the next storm is to clean out your gutters. When working correctly, gutters push water away from your home. If your gutters are clogged, water can and will collect closer to your foundation and eventually get inside your home. If you’re one of the many homeowners in Connecticut who have large, beautiful trees with long limbs, fallen leaves will likely accumulate in your gutters.
Secure doors and windows
Inspect all doors and windows for cracks or signs of leaks. Just because your doors and windows still close properly doesn’t mean water can’t get inside and cause damage. And if there is existing damage to your doors and windows that have gone unattended for too long, the odds are high that there is also damage you are unaware of on your roof.
Trim your trees
Many times, it’s not hail or high winds that cause direct damage to your roof during a storm but rather the trees that are extremely close to the roofline. During a big storm, it won’t take much for tree limbs to snap and land on your roof or be swayed by the wind just enough that they rub against your shingles and cause major damage.
Much like your car, a roof requires regular roof inspections to stand the test of time. And by “regular,” we don’t strictly mean those moments after a severe storm. We mean doing spot-checks ahead of storm season, after storm season, etc. You simply can’t put a price on having a professional roof inspection. We can find faults in your roof that, while they seem small now, can be fixed before they cause costly damage to everything you own.
There are so many things to be aware of as a homeowner when it comes to your roof. Conducting routine roof inspections is one, and over the next several months, we’ll continue to publish helpful content to our blog page so that MJT Roofing can be a go-to resource for you!