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Contractor’s Corner

Roofing, painting, siding and window tips and tricks from Rocky Mountain Roofing & Exteriors
7 Essential Winter Roof Maintenance Tips for Your Colorado Home

7 Essential Winter Roof Maintenance Tips for Your Colorado Home

Getting ready for the winter season in Colorado?

Wondering how you can keep your roof in great condition?

During the cold winter months, it can be difficult to deal with the huge amount of ice and snow that comes with living in Colorado. While some homes will need a roof replacement before winter rolls around, every homeowner should do a bit of extra roof maintenance at this time of year to ensure their home stays in great condition.

Below we’ll look at the 7 essential winter roof maintenance tips that you need to know about.

1. Keep Your Gutters Clean

One thing you’ll want to do to maintain your roof in the winter is to make sure that you’re keeping your gutters and drainpipes clean and free from debris. If you don’t keep your gutters clean then snow can easily pile up on your roof and cause damage.

It’s especially important to clean your gutters before the winter season even begins. Gutters can face a lot of problems in the fall as leaves, pine needles, and other types of debris pile up.

2. Get Rid of Roof Debris

In addition to keeping gutters clean, you should also make sure to clean your roof itself thoroughly as well. Make sure that it’s free of any debris or buildup.

Pine needles, leaves, and other types of grime can become waterlogged and can rot. Mixed with snow and ice, this debris can potentially cause damage to a roof and may even cause a leak.

3. Remove Snow From Your Roof

While it’s crucial to remove any debris that you can before the winter gets started it’s also important to pay your roof proper attention once the snow starts coming down. When it does snow on your roof, make sure that you get it removed as soon as you can.

Any snow, ice, or water that turns into ice while on your roof can create an ice dam. This can be a serious threat to the condition of your roof.

4. Improve Attic Ventilation

To maintain your roof in the winter, it’s also important to improve attic ventilation. Poor ventilation in the attic can affect the roof quite a bit and make the effects of snow and ice piling up on your roof even more severe.

With poor ventilation, snow and ice will pile up, form, and cause damage to your roof more easily. Ensure that there is adequate ventilation in your attic and that it is well insulated.

5. Fix Your Shingles

If there are any shingles on your roof that are loose or show signs of damage, you also need to replace them before the winter season comes.

Shingles will help protect your home against the elements and that includes snow and ice. Making sure your roof’s shingles are in great condition is very important for increasing the life of your roof and for preventing further damage.

6. Check Your Roof Flashing

Another thing you need to do for the winter is to inspect your roof flashing. It’s important to repair any damage that you find in the flashing.

Roof flashing needs to be in great condition to protect your roof from the winter elements. Flashing that is loose or warped may allow extra moisture and leakage to occur.

7. Trim Your Trees

In addition to performing maintenance on the roof itself, it’s also important you trim any trees surrounding your home and cut down any trees that may be dangerous. Ice and snow storms can lead to trees falling down and potentially harming your roof, your home, and your family.

Trimming and cutting trees can be very dangerous, however, so you may want to hire a professional to do the job.

Preparing Yourself For Winter Roof Maintenance

If you want to keep your roof protected this winter, it’s crucial that you make use of the winter roof maintenance tips listed above. Make sure to maintain your roof well if you want to ensure your roof stays in great condition even as the weather gets colder.

Need help maintaining or replacing your Colorado roof? Click here to learn more about our roofing services and to find out more about what we can do for you (starting with a free estimate!).