How Do I Protect My Roof in the Winter?

Every season poses challenges to your roof, from heat in summer to spring or autumn storms, but winter is probably the most challenging of all. The constant freezing and thawing we get in this country can work open holes that rain or snow can leak through, while high winds can cause other damage.

So what can you do to protect your roof in winter?

Regular Inspections for Damage

It’s vital to inspect your roof before winter sets in, and then at regular intervals through the season, as well as after major weather events, such as sharp frost, snow or a storm. You can inspect a pitched roof from street level through binoculars, but if you’re confident with ladders, inspecting from close up is even better.

You need to be checking for damaged or missing tiles, damaged flashing or torn felt if you have a flat roof. At the same time, it’s important to check for any damage to your gutters or downpipes. If they’re not working properly, they can leave water either pooling on the roof or else falling onto the ground and damaging the house’s foundations.

In addition to checking from outside, it’s also useful to inspect from inside the roof space. Go up in daylight and turn all artificial lighting off. If there are any holes where water can get in, they’ll show up as pinpricks of light.

Repairing Damage to Your Roof

Needless to say, inspecting your roof is no good unless you take action on anything you find. Any missing or damaged tiles need to be replaced, while damaged flashing can be either sealed or replaced. The longer you leave these jobs, the more likely that water will get into the roofspace, causing mould or mildew and rotting timbers.

Working on the roof isn’t a job for the amateur, even an experienced DIYer. It’s vital to get a professional roofer to do the job, and you may prefer to arrange regular visits to get expert inspections.

Other Measures for Protecting Your Roof in Winter

Besides the obvious repairs to the roof and guttering themselves, there are other measures you can take to reduce the risk of damage to your roof. These include:

Trim any trees growing close to the house, especially if there are branches that overhang. These could break off in a storm and damage your roof.
Keep your roof space well-insulated and ventilated. Regulating the temperature can help prevent ice dams from forming on the roof.
If there are cables or heating elements in your roof, make sure they’re regularly de-iced. This again is effective against ice dams.
It’s important to remove snow that piles up on your roof, to prevent overloading, but this has to be done carefully. It’s very easy to damage the roof doing this, so it’s best to leave it to experts.

While a few of these jobs are within the capability of a highly experienced DIYer, most roofing work needs to be done by professional roofers. Get in touch with Empire to find out how we can help you protect your roof in winter — and throughout the year.