Every winter brings with it the possibility for extreme cold, damaging ice and high snowfall amounts. However, there are many steps you can take to ensure greater winter safety for your home and lessen the chance you’ll have to deal with problems when the weather is at its worst. Get a head start on winter with these tips.
Clean all gutters and downspouts of debris, and renail gutter spikes to ensure gutters can work properly. Water that gets dammed up in your gutters will take the path of least resistance when it tries to drain, and this could mean it backs up under the shingles and runs into the walls and ceilings of your house.
Make sure all downspouts extend into an underground drainage system or extend at least three feet from your foundation to prevent water from freezing around the foundation. The freeze-thaw cycle can promote structural cracks. Remove all garden hoses from spigots, drain the hoses and store away for the winter.
Check your attic to ensure the amount of attic insulation is sufficient and the attic access is insulated. If the thickness of your attic insulation is less than R-30 (a depth of about 11 inches of fiberglass), our experts can add blown-in fiberglass insulation to get your attic up to code. The Department of Energy recommends insulation values from R-40 to R-60.
Have your roof inspected for loose flashings and shingles to prevent blow-offs in heavy winds, snow and water infiltration, and ice dams. Ice dams happen when water backs up in the gutters and freezes, pushing up against the roof structure and working its way under the shingles, leading to even more leaks. Columbus roof repair is more difficult in freezing weather.
Tune up your heating system. Call an HVAC technician to inspect and tune your furnace. A heating system that is clean and in good repair will run more efficiently and be far less likely to break down on a cold day when you need it most.
Is Your Roof Ready for Winter?
Get peace of mind when you have your roof and gutter system inspected by Muth & Company, the most trusted roofing contractors in Columbus, Ohio. Call us at (614) 682-3060 today!