Your roof keeps your home and everything beneath it safe and secure. It’s up to you to protect your roof as much as you can. You may think there’s little you can do against gale-force winds, but you can take practical steps to reduce the risk. Of course, you’ll also need the help of a roofing contractor. This is especially true if the thought of climbing up on your roof makes you anxious, or you lack the training and experience. Here are some ways to protect your roof during autumnal storms.
Keep Your Gutters Clear
You might not think immediately of your gutters when it comes to protecting your roof from storms. But gutters that are dammed up by leaf litter and animal nests can’t remove water. Because of this, the water just stagnates on your roof. This can cause leaks. Not only that, gutters that are full of water and trash are easy for the wind to tear away from your house. This can also tear chunks off of your roof.
Keep Trees Away
Trees beautify your property, but they can also fall on your roof. Avoid planting trees or allowing trees to grow too close to your house. You should also have trees that look sick or are leaning at severe angles taken down. These trees are very susceptible to being blown over even in winds that don’t seem that powerful. You should also have branches overhanging your roof pruned. A wind can snap them off, and they can also cause damage to your roof. Branches can also give rodents easy access to your roof, where they may cause structural damage.
Consider Impact Resistant Shingles
If you’re thinking of replacing your roof anyway, consider impact-resistant shingles. These shingles are made to resist damage from hailstorms, and the highest class, Class 4, protects against winds as strong as 130 mph. That’s a Category 4 hurricane. If these admittedly pricey shingles aren’t an option, you can protect your roof with plywood if you know that a dangerous windstorm is coming. Installing plywood is a job for a professional roofer because they have the experience to get the job done correctly so that it optimally protects your home.
Close Doors and Windows
The beautiful weather of many fall days encourages you to keep your windows and doors open. However, during a windstorm, you need to keep all your doors and windows tightly shut. If a hurricane roars into your house, it can damage your roof from below by actually pushing it up.
Fall can be a peaceful time of year, or it can be filled with storms, including hurricanes. If you need storm damage repair, call our roofing professionals at Overson Roofing of Mesa, AZ.