The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The best way to prevent damage to a home's interior is to catch problems before they start. Especially when it comes to your roof, with winter looming, homeowners should go on the offensive now. Prevent troublesome problems and expensive repairs later on by inspecting the condition of your roof and making minor repairs, if necessary, before the first snow falls. In fact, according to Murray Abramovitch, Vice-President, Marketing, at Emco Building Products Corp., homeowners should inspect their roofs at least once a year. "An annual inspection is one of the most important things people can do to protect what is most likely their largest investment - their home," said Abramovitch. "Roofs need to be 'winterized' in advance of the season. A few precautionary steps today may make a huge difference in the long run." When examining the roof, homeowners should pay attention to several indications that shingles need replacing or repair: Bare Spots - If a shingle's protective granular surface has worn off, there are often small fissures into which rain and snow can penetrate. Check gutters for accumulations of granules, a warning sign of bare spots. Curling - Upward curling of shingle tabs makes them highly susceptible to wind and ice damage. Broken, torn or missing shingles - This may be caused by extreme wind conditions and snow removal. Clawing - Curling under of shingle tab's bottom edge is part of the normal aging process of shingles. Buckling - A visible distortion or waviness in the horizontal line of shingles, buckling usually runs in a straight line up the roof slope. Flashing - Flashings keep water from penetrating vents, chimneys and vertical wall joints. Make sure the caulking around the flashing isn't cracked or dried out. Prevent Ice Dams Ice dams are formed by continuous thawing and refreezing of melting snow. As snow melts, large masses of ice may keep the water from draining into the gutters. With nowhere else to go, the water continues to flow under and around the ice. Eventually it is forced under the shingles, causing leaks in the house. The following steps help minimize the chances of ice dam formation: Improve attic insulation to keep the attic space cool, thus reducing the amount of melting snow. Ensure proper positioning of gutters or eavestroughing - they should be lower than the slope of the roof to allow snow and ice to glide off. Remove any leaves, branches or other debris from gutters to allow snow to flow freely. Install gutter guards to keep debris out of the gutter. If you must replace shingles in the eaves, install a base layer of specialty waterproofing membrane to prevent water from penetrating the roof. Avoid unnecessary foot traffic on the roof. If removing snow from gutters or eaves, homeowners should avoid direct contact with the shingles to prevent the protective granules from being scraped off.
