Winters in Oklahoma can turn from mild and wonderful to snow or ice storms in a matter of days. As a homeowner there are ways to winterize your home to ensure the chances of an emergency are vastly reduced. One area most homeowners miss is their roof. Oklahoma springs can bring in rain and hail storms among others heavy winds and even tornados. Followed that with the extreme heat in the summers many forget the toll that the weather elements can play on an older roof until in the winter the weight of ice or snow is too much for the roof and major issues from leaks to roofs collapsing when it is freezing out and hard for roofers to repair or replace the roof due to the temperatures.
How to Prepare Your Roof for Winter
Properly preparing a homes roof for winter is essential to the longevity of the roof and ensuring there are no major issues that occur in weather that makes it hard to repair or replace a roof. There are several ways as homeowners you can ensure your roof is properly winterized.
The team at McCanns Roofing and Construction in Edmond, OK have composed a list of the top areas that need attention before those cold months are upon us. Starting with removing debris and build up that has occurred during the summer and fall. Often broken tree limbs and leaves can pile up on roof tops and need to be cleared off in order to access the roof. Fallen debris can both cause and cover issues that may have occurred on the roofs along with adding unneeded weight to the roof causing moisture buildup which could lead to rotting and leaks.
Our roofers will also assess potential issues with tree overhang that is too close to the roof. Not only can this pose a fire hazard but in years we get ice storms the weight on the tree branches can bring the overhanging trees down on the roof. Fixing a roof during or after an ice storm can be very hard. This is why we encourage doing this in fall before bad weather hits.
Don’t want to do the work yourself, or maybe your roof is older and you want to ensure experts have covered any issues that you might have missed. McCanns team of professional roofers serving the Oklahoma area can help!
Inspect Your Roof for Damage Before Winter
Roof leaks are common in winter after a year with heavy storms or extreme heat on older roofs when the moisture of ice or snow sets on a damaged roof the moisture starts to penetrate through the damaged areas causing leaks, rotting, or worse collapse. Though this article, How to Deal With Roof Leak, can help if you find yourself in that situation our goal is to help you find the issues before they become major problems.
Trim Back Tree Limbs and Clean Your Gutters Before Winter Protect Your Roof
There are many reasons to keep trees trimmed away from your home but in winter the urgency is even greater. Many home fires can be caused by tree overhang above fireplaces that are too close to the roof. Also the snow can often weigh down tree limbs causing them to break and fall onto the roof which can cause significant damage to the roof, or worse completely fall through the roof leaving you with a huge hole in your home.
Another post fall pre-winter preparation to ensure your roof is properly draining is making sure to clean out your rain gutters. Clogged rain gutters can cause rain to stay off the roof which can lead to significant damage to the roof shingles leading to sagging or leaks to penetrate the roof. This is an easy, but often overlooked post fall pre-winter chore that McCanns Roofing can help with.
What Time of Year is Best for a Roof Replacement
Emergency roof replacements can happen anytime of year, however, in Oklahoma the most common season for Roof Replacements are following the storm season from March to August. This comes as no surprise to any native Oklahomans as we know we get all the weather elements from extreme heat to hail, high winds, tornados, and even the occasional ice storm. All of which can take a major toll on your home’s roof.
Knowing this our roofing experts at McCann’s Roofing and Construction who have been servicing Oklahoma for over 20 years recommend if your roof could be in question getting a free onsite roofing inspection with us before the sometimes brutal winter.
The best months we have found are August through October as the sweltering summer heat is fading and the bitter winter cold has not yet come, giving plenty of time for our experts to evaluate your roof and if needed make any necessary repairs or replacement before snow or ice of winter sets in. Once freezing rain, ice, or snow comes and sets on a damaged roof it often leads to leaks, rotting, and other issues with insulation.
Call McCanns Roofing Today for a Free On-Site Professional Roof Inspection to Ensure Your Roof is Winter Ready
Spring is behind us, summer heat is starting to fade but the potential damage to your roof may not make it through a harsh Oklahoma winter. McCann’s Roofing and Construction located in Edmond, serving Oklahoma for over 20 years knows roofs in Oklahoma and we have your back!
Call us today and schedule one of our roofing experts to come out and give a free roof evaluation before winter comes for peace of mind that your home will stay safe and warm all winter long!
If you do need roofing repairs or even a new roof we can help you through every step of the process, call us today for a Free On-Site Inspection to ensure your home’s roof is winterized!