Why It's Important to Keep Your Roof Clear of Snow

Massive snow accumulation on the roof can cause unwanted accidents and damage to the roof's resistance structure. Also, because of temperature variations, melting snow can form ice dams on the edge of the roof, preventing water from draining properly and allowing infiltrations.

If you do not remove the snow from your roof, it will also lead to the formation of icicles. They are a real problem that may cause damage to the gutters (the weight of the icicles cannot always be borne by the gutters) and objects they may fall on (e.g. cars).

Icicles appear when the heat from inside the house reaches the space under the roof, warms it and melts the snow. The resulting water flows down and, when it reaches the gutter area, it turns into ice, because gutters are cold and the outside temperatures are very low.

As the rest of the snow on the roof melts, the risks for the building increase: gutters and downspouts get clogged, water is forced to circulate under the tiles and infiltrates in the walls.

Considering the risks of working at height and the amount of snow accumulated on the roof (which may require some hard work!), you should call on snow removal Centennial roofing company specialists to remove it as soon as possible.

Common Problems Roofs Face During Winter

Clogged gutters and downspouts

Leaves, moss, twigs, dirt and other debris must be removed before the arrival of winter, otherwise the pluvial system may become clogged, and water that does not drain properly can affect the walls of your house and even the foundation. After cleaning the gutter and downspouts, you can add gutter guards, to keep them clean for a longer time. Unfortunately, excessive snowfall can also clog the gutter, at least until it melts away, as well as the ice resulted from freeze-thaw cycles and which is even more dangerous, having the potential to cause extensive damage to the drainage system.

Ice dams

Snow accumulation on the roof, temperature variations and lack of adequate ventilation are factors that contribute to the formation of ice dams on the roof. They trap water on the roof, which can lead to infiltrations. It is important to check the roof during the cold season identify potential water leaks. You also have to take action to prevent ice dam formation. Installing a de-icing system is a great option.

Water enters through the attic windows

Attic windows also require special attention. Before the fall of the first snow, the leaves and other debris around them must be removed and their sealing checked, so that water resulted from snow melting will not enter the house.

The best way to prepare your home for the winter season is to set up annual roofing inspections with premier Centennial roofing companies . Expert Centennial roofers can easily identify and repair your roof prior to the colder weather.

Evaluating the Most Important Tips for Protecting Your Roof Against Leaks

Before knowing how to protect your roof against leaks in an efficient way, it’s a good idea to learn as much as possible about how leaks might form. Depending on whether you have a residential or a commercial roof, the process can differ quite greatly.

 In the case of commercial roofing systems, pooling and the presence of snow or various types of debris can lead to further damaging the roofing membrane and causing leaks over time. In residential roofs, the problem is typically caused by damaged flashing and shingles, which typically result from a serious storm.

 To protect your roof against leaks, it’s important to have it inspected on a regular basis and get the opinion of a roofer as to whether any damage you found might constitute a cause for concern. Typically it’s a good idea to replace mildly damaged flashing, repair cracked shingles before they are further damaged, and work on fixing damaged roofing membranes with the optimal type of roofing cement.

 If a leak is already present, it’s usually best to have a professional roofer - see https://www.r4roof.com - inspect it, before you get to work on trying to identify where it comes from and fix it. In many cases, the origins of an existing leak can also be in the interior structure of the roof, in which case at least a partial roof replacement could be necessary.

What Are the Best Roofing Materials for Protecting Against the Snow?

As winter approaches, it’s essential to make sure your roof is able to properly protect your home against snow and ice dams. This means, in some cases, it’s important to switch from a lesser quality roofing material to roofing products that can offer better protection and ensure the advantage of being low maintenance. Here are some tips from Centennial roofing professionals. 

The key here is to research the most durable, resilient and energy efficient types of roofing. While slate might be the best type of roof to fall under that category, you’ll find it’s also quite expensive. At the same time, concrete and clay roofing also come close, but aside from being quite heavy and difficult to install, they can lack the level of energy efficiency necessary to protect your home against the cold temperatures that a frozen layer of snow can bring. 

Metal is typically considered the best type of roofing material for the cold. Aside from being resilient enough to withstand harsh temperature changes and virtually maintenance-free, metal is also able to protect your house against the heavy weight of the snow, which could end up damaging lesser materials like wood and asphalt shingles. Also, metal has an excellent ability to resist temperature fluctuations, making it ideally suited for dealing with sudden shifts between warmer and freezing temperatures.

How to Keep Your Roof Clean During the Fall Season



 Keeping your roof clean is an important business, especially during the fall season when winter is just around the corner and you have to make sure you’ve completed all your most essential maintenance tasks before the arrival of the big freeze. 

According to most expert Centennial roofers, the best way to keep your roof clean is to prevent it from getting dirty and gathering debris in the first place. For that purpose, it’s a good idea to act fast, preferably at the end of summer, and make sure you cut off the longer branches of the trees closest to your roof. That way, you’ll not only prevent the wind from blowing the branch into your roof and damaging it during a storm, but also from blowing leaves onto your roof, that you’d have to clean up later on. 

Pressure washing your roof is also a good idea in most cases. Depending on the type of roof you own, a good pressure washing session will help remove mold and unwanted debris, while also presenting you with the chance to make your roof look and feel brand new at the same time. 

Although cleaning your roof shouldn’t be much of a challenge, it’s important to also learn about the different types of roofs that can and can’t be cleaned efficiently using various methods; so you’ll know exactly how to clean your roof most efficiently, before winter comes.

Essential Roofing Tips: How to Get Your Roof Ready for Winter

Preparing your roof for winter isn’t necessarily an easy topic to consider. Even though the general idea might be to follow maintenance tips that will help you avoid ice dams and similar winter-related problems, getting your roof ready is certainly an issue that will require more in-depth research and possibly even contacting a roofer or two, to find out more about what needs to be done. 

Generally, in the late autumn, you have to get on top of your roof and clear all the debris, unclog the gutters and give your roof a good wash before the winter season arrives. Once you do that, it’s also important to check for damage and leaks, especially near the areas where you see flashing damage or broken shingles. 

Minor repairs will have to be completed, such as replacing cracked shingles or damaged flashing. Also, you have to make sure that the gutter system works properly before you finish. 

Finally, it’s a good idea to consider hiring local roofing contractors in Centennial CO to inspect your roof one more time, and recommend any suggestions for repairs or upgrades, such as installing an improved type of coating that can protect your roof from the cold more efficiently and provide your home with some added insulation as well.

Preventative Measures to Take for Roof Leaks

Roofing leaks are among the most common roofing problems and also issues that can be prevented in most cases. Here is how:

-        Get the roof inspected twice a year – you can also perform roof checks, but the best way to make sure it is done professionally is to hire a preferred roofing Centennial contractor for the job. The process will involve roof cleaning as well, essential for revealing all the roofing problems, whether small or larger, that can turn into leaks;

-        Pay attention to the vents and the flashing – the damage to these roof components can lead to the appearance of leaks;

-        Gutter and downspout maintenance – these components are also essential for maintaining your roof in great condition. Fortunately, keeping the gutters and the spouts clean and healthy is easy – all you need is to climb up to the roof and to scape out the accumulated debris with a suitable tool;

-        Trim the trees around the roof – the debris falling from roofs, such as dried leaves and fallen branches can harm your roof, cracking the tiles, tearing the shingles and clogging the gutters, so the best way to prevent the problem is by trimming any tall vegetation regularly.

Is Your Roof Ready for The Snow?

Fall is a busy time for homeowners, the time when they need to start preparing their entire home, including their roof for the snow and for the freezing weather. When the heat of the summer subsides, most roofs are not yet ready for the snow, but it takes only a few simple measures to get it ready for the last season of the year – here they are:

-        Cleaning and inspection – both are essential for maintaining the health of your roof during the winter. Your roof needs to be cleaned because the debris that has accumulated on the roof surface and in the gutters because it will absorb water and cause the material underneath to become weak and damaged and airborne debris combined with water can also clog the gutters, preventing them from efficiently driving water away from the edge of the roof and from the walls of the building;

-        Repairs – only a strengthened and intact roof can stand up to rain, snow and cold, so if you detect any faults during the roof inspection, such as cracks, damaged tiles or shingles, sagging or damaged gutters, damaged flashing stripes, proceed to repairing them right away. The best way to ensure that the repairs are done properly is to turn to a top notch Centennial roofing company.

The Skills Needed to Be an Excellent Roofer

Roofing is a complex profession that takes a long time to learn and a good roofer needs not only technical knowledge, but other skills as well. Here are some of the skills that well known Centennial roofing companies believe will make a really good roofer:

-        Professional knowledge – knowledge of materials, technologies and methods is essential for a successful career in roofing;

-        Communication skills – any roofer, the ones who work in a roofing team as well as those who work individually, as roofing contractors, need to be able to communicate efficiently with co-workers as well as with clients;

-        Problem-solving skills – roofing projects involve many unexpected situations. A good roofer is able to handle these situations and solve them efficiently, finding the solution that works best for everyone involved;

-        Able to handle stress – roofing work can be stressful, too, especially for contractors who need to manage multiple teams, deal with suppliers and face lots of other difficulties in their daily work;

-        Great physical condition – roofing involves work performed at heights, in awkward positions. Most jobs require the roofer to lift heavy objects as well. All these cannot be done without being physically fit, so good physical condition is essential for a successful, long-lasting career in the roofing business.

How A New Roof Can Improve Your Home Value

Investing into a new roof is something that increases your home’s value in more than one way – here are some:

-        Improved curb appeal – installing new Centennial roofing makes your entire building look more attractive and makes a great first impression on your potential buyers. Pick the roof color and texture that harmonizes best with the colors used on the rest of your building, the walls, the trim, the window frames and the entry door included to create a spectacular appearance;

-        Improved energy efficiency – modern roofing materials have better insulation properties than old ones and new roofs are also completely intact, preventing the energy exchange between the building interior and the outdoor environment. Your new roof will have an almost instant, positive effect on your energy bills (making them lower all year around);

-        Avoiding problems during building inspections – building inspectors pay special attention to roofs and they will appreciate a building that has a brand-new roof. The building appraisals that you get for your property that has been recently reroofed will be more favorable and will put you into a much better negotiating position, whether for selling the property, for taking out a mortgage loan on it or for other purposes.