When the weather is warm and the days are long, you may want to spend time in your backyard pool or playing golf rather than think about home maintenance. However, summer and early fall are good times to get your roof ready for another winter. Schedule your roof repairs for when the weather is nice so your roof is ready for the first cold spell and snow. Here are some repairs your roof might need.
Replace Cracked Rubber Boots
The vents that come out of your roof, such as the plumbing vent pipe, probably have rubber boots around them that keep rain from leaking in the attic. Rubber boots don't last nearly as long as your shingles since rubber breaks down due to UV exposure. When the rubber cracks, rain will leak in your attic, so it's good to check the boots occasionally and have them replaced when they show signs of damage.
Replace Rotted Or Damaged Boards
If the fascia or soffit areas of your roof have rotted boards, have the boards replaced before winter begins and pests start looking for ways to get in your attic when seeking shelter. Boards that are weak from rot are easy for rodents to chew through. If any part of your roof has holes in it already due to rodent activity, have the holes sealed so mice or rats don't take over your attic during the winter.
Add Another Vent
If you had problems with ice dams last winter, talk to your roofer about improving attic ventilation. When your attic has poor ventilation, the underside of your roof heats up and that causes snow and ice to melt. The melt then turns to ice again along the edge of the roof so a dam forms that blocks roof drainage.
An ice dam causes roof damage, and it can even cause a roof leak, so preventing the problem is the best way to deal with ice dams. Adding more ventilation to your attic might be the right solution, and your roofer can put in more vents if needed.
Repair Shingles That Are Cracked Or Loose
One of the most common roof repairs is to fix bad shingles. It's always good to repair shingles promptly before your roof starts leaking. If your roof has loose or cracked shingles from spring and summer storms, have them repaired before winter sets in and it's no longer convenient or possible to make roof repairs.
Your roofer can repair some types of shingle damage, but it may be necessary to take off the bad shingles and replace them with new ones so your roof is in good shape and ready to protect your home from rain, snow, pests, and cold weather.
