Snow season can be a difficult time for people living in areas that accumulate heavy snow fall. Problems from ice dams to leaks to roof collapses occur frequently this season, and can be costly to repair when the damage occurs. To best prevent these problems, and save a lot of money (and valuables in your home) in the process, here are 5 preventative tips you can use to best prepare your home for snow.

If you do not have a roof rake, or you have one that is old and worn, consider purchasing a new rake to keep handy for when snow arrives. To prevent damage to your roof shingles as you rake snow off, we recommend buying a roof rake with rollers. With rollers, you avoid the risk of your roofing shingles getting scratched, scraped, or otherwise damaged by the rake tips. Only attempt this if the snow is very light. If the snow is heavy, do not attempt to clear it! Call a roofing professional to safely clear the snow.

Check your roofing shingles to make sure that there are no damaged or loose shingles. Shingles that are damaged or loose leave an open gap for snow to accumulate in. This snow, depending on the temperature, can turn into water that will leak into the house, or freeze and expand. When it freezes and expands, it will damage and loosen other nearby shingles and create a domino effect of damage. Repair and/or replace any damaged shingles as soon as possible.

The chimney flashing is the component that seals your chimney and roof. It is usually metal. Like with your shingles, check your flashing for any kind of damage. Holes, cracks, or looseness in your flashing will lead to leaks inside your house when snow falls. Like with shingles, the damage leaves gaps open in your roofing that can be made worse with snow accumulation, especially if the snow freezes and expands. Depending on how damaged your flashing is, you can either repair or replace it. Additionally, check the sealant that surrounds the flashing. If the sealant is cracked, remove it and re-apply new sealant as soon as possible. Ideally, you want your caulking to be applied and fully set before it snows. If the sealant is not fully set when it snows, you will have leaks in your house and a potentially damaged flashing.

First, clear your gutters. Remove any debris that are stuck and create a clear path for melted snow to run off. Second, check your clear gutters to make sure that they do not have any holes or cracks. If they have any damage, replace them with new ones. Third, consider buying and installing a roof de-icing cable. These are also called heat cables. They can be installed along the length of the gutters, and turned on during snowfall to melt any snow that accumulates. It is very important to have your gutters clear, because that is one of the most common places for ice dams to form. Ice dams happen when snow melts and re-freezes, blocking the outflow of accumulation. This increases the accumulation on your roof, and can be very damaging if it is not taken care of.

A properly insulated attic will keep the heat inside the house. This has many advantages, including savings on energy and preventing your air conditioning from overworking. Another major advantage of a properly insulated attic is that heat will not escape to your roof. When the heat escapes to your roof, your roof gets warmer, which will cause the snow to melt. The melted snow will soon freeze and accumulate further snow, causing an ice dam. Be sure to check your ventilation and insulation in your attic to ensure that your roof might not be at risk of ice dams.

With the above 5 tips, you should be well on your way to a strong and snow-ready roof. We highly recommend hiring a professional to conduct a thorough inspection of all your roofing elements. Our experts here at Jireh General Contractors LLC can do exactly that for you, and provide their professional recommendations on the steps needed to be taken to have your roof ready for the snow season. Reach out to us today to schedule your roofing inspection!