Sometimes, discovering a potential roofing problem can come at the worst time, things never seem to happen when it’s warm and sunny out, if you’re in the position of having to hang holiday decorations or just checking the roof yourself at this time of year to determine if you may need a roofer or not, here are some tips to keep you and your roof in shape through the coming cold weather.
Make Your Shingles Stick
So you’re checking your roof and you see a few loose shingles, nothing major, but the adhesive doesn’t seem to be working properly. If your roof is under warranty, you can call your roofer and see if this is covered. If it’s outside the warranty or not covered consider this: Typically in the summer months, keeping the adhesive at least 60 degrees to maintain “stickiness” is easy, in the winter, not so much. One easy way to make them stick properly is to use roofing cement, which must be applied to each individual shingle in the right amount to be effective, of course you can nail them down as well, but usually, this is best left to those who know what they are doing.
Doing this to a couple of shingles is acceptable until you can have your roof inspected for other damage, but if you find a lot of loose shingles, contact a professional as soon as possible as this could indicate a larger problem.
Ice Dams
Preventative maintenance is key during the colder months as the most common problem affecting roofs during this time is Ice Dams. These are difficult to get rid of as you can damage the roof chiseling or picking it and melting it with rock salt or calcium chloride can take forever. Using heat tape or a heat cable to deal with ice dams as they run a constant stream of hat along areas most prone to damming can be a solution but be wary, some of these products have been linked to house fires, so speak to your roofing professional or do your research to ensure you aren’t taking unnecessary risks.
General Cold Weather Safety
If you must get on the roof to hang holiday decorations or look at the situation before you call us, dress warmly and wear proper footwear, heavy shoes can break ice or grip the roof shingles and wearing thinner gloves will help you grips things. Don’t do it alone, be sure you have someone with you at all times should something happen.
Have fun decorating your home but keep an eye out for any potential problems, call Atlanta Roofing Specialists if you see anything out of line and we will inspect your roof at no charge!
