How to Prevent Roof Storm Damage
There’s nothing quite like a soothing drizzle or a gentle autumn rain to delight the senses and soothe the soul. But when the clouds grow more ominous and bring strong winds and hail, it’s another matter entirely. Once the skies have cleared, the damage can be significant.
Unfortunately, most homeowners aren’t doing all they can to protect their home and roof against storm damage. But it only takes a little planning today to save you thousands on serious storm repairs down the road.
In this post from Powers Premier Contracting in Minnesota, we’re looking into some easy steps you can take to prevent future storm damage and protect your home. When you need storm damage repair or exterior remodeling services, give us a call.
- Keep Your Trees Trimmed
Anytime there’s a severe storm in Minnesota, tree removal services get busy. That’s because so many homes, cars, and garages end up with large broken branches on them after a storm. What most people don’t realize is that these branches and limbs can weigh hundreds of pounds. Not only can they be devastating to your roof, but they can also present a serious risk to your family or anyone nearby.
Even if you don’t end up with downed trees or limbs, you can end up with debris-filled gutters and debris strewn across your roof. If not removed in time for winter, this debris can lead to ice dams that cause serious roof damage.
The sad part is that so much serious roof damage from trees is completely preventable. Make sure you regularly trim your trees and remove any trees that are growing too close to your house to protect your property and family.
- Clean Up Your Yard
Make a habit of putting away anything that could take flight when you’re not out in the yard. Stack up your lawn chairs and keep them stored neatly in a corner. Put away children’s toys, bikes, and lawn equipment in a storage container of some kind.
You might be thinking, “Hey, I keep a tidy yard!” but remember, anything can become a projectile in high winds, especially when straight-line winds are involved or there’s a microburst. If you sense a storm is coming but there’s still plenty of time to safely take a look around your yard, examine your lawn for anything that could potentially become unsafe with high winds.
- Upgrade Your Insulation
Quality, high-performance insulation is essential for Minnesota homes. Good insulation will help to prevent ice dams, which can occur when the heat from your home transfers to your roof and melts the snow. As this snow pools at the edge of your roof and refreezes, ice dams can occur that will prevent future snowfall and precipitation from draining off of your roof.
Ice dams are one of the biggest winter weather threats to homes in our region of the country. Moisture infiltration inside your home can be serious and costly, leading to structural damage, mold, and even roof failure. Save yourself the headache and save on your monthly energy costs when you upgrade your attic insulation.
- Check Your Attic
Take some time to look around your attic for any obvious signs of roof damage. The best time of day to conduct a home attic inspection is during daylight hours. Turn off the attic light and look for any signs of light creeping in. Anyplace you see light is a potential point of air and water infiltration and a potential structural weakness. In the event of a storm, your roof will likely leak or could even collapse if the issue is left unresolved.
While you’re up there, look for signs of water spots or wet insulation. Use your nose to identify any problems with mildew. If you suspect any issues, be sure to hire a roofing repair team right away.
- Check Your Gutters
Damaged and broken gutters can become projectiles during a storm, damaging your roof or siding. They can also become easily clogged, allowing water to run up onto your roof and infiltrate the underlayment where any weak spots lie.
If you’re thinking of updating your gutters, we can install completely seamless gutters that are far less vulnerable to storm damage. We can even add gutter guards to reduce your chance of gutter clogs and make gutter cleaning easier than ever.
- Schedule a Professional Roof Inspection
It’s never a bad idea to invest in a professional roof inspection, especially if it’s been a few years since you’ve scheduled on or spent money on roof repairs. A licensed residential roofing contractor will be able to identify subtle problems that aren’t obvious to a layman.
Not only will a professional roofer check your shingles for signs of weakness and evaluate the condition of your granules, but they’ll also check your flashing and vents. They’ll make recommendations that end up saving you a fortune down the road.
Call Our Minnesota Residential Roofing Services
Don’t let your home get hit with unnecessary storm damage. Plan ahead with help from Powers Premier Contracting. Call to connect with our roofing contractors at 612-710-7283 or contact us online for a free estimate today.