Winterize Your Roof

When the lucky of us head out town during the winter, we plan ahead by winterizing the house. Your mind may be on making sure the pipes don’t freeze, but preparing your roof for winter can be just as important.

Our first snow fall can be as early as October, so now is the best time to take the following steps to prepare your roof for ice and snow:

Make sure your gutters are free of leaves and debris. Clean gutters will encourage snow melt off to flow freely through the gutters and away from your roofline.

Often we see gutters along the roof line that dump water right at the edge of the house. During heavy rains, this set up can easily lead to flooding or even foundation damage over time. Gutters should facilitate the flow of water away from your foundation and any basement windows if possible.

Although Feze Roofing, Inc. doesn’t install these (you need a licensed and bonded electrician!), heating cables can be an effective way to help prevent ice damming in trouble areas.

Keeping your attic cool in the winter even while the heat is keeping you cozy on the main floor is key to preventing ice dams.

Blasting the heat in our homes makes the air indoors feel dry. Families often turn to humidifiers to improve the air quality or when someone catches the dreaded winter cold. While using a humidifier can help you breathe better, humidifiers can be very damaging to your home. Humidifiers in cold weather lead to condensation, mold, and rot in your attic.

The best way to prevent ice damming is to have a leak barrier installed under your shingles at the gutter edge and at the eaves, rakes, valleys, and chimney areas. As a GAF MasterElite Contractor, we recommend GAF’s WeatherWatch Leak Barrier, which is one of Feze Roofing’s most valuable tools to prevent leaks caused by ice damming.

Don’t let another winter come and go without addressing your ice damming issues. Call us today at 630-530-5944 for your free estimate!
Feze Roofing, Inc. is an Illinois licensed roofing contractor operating in the Chicagoland area and has been family owned for over 40 years. Your home is your investment.

Let us help you protect it. Call us today at 630-530-5944 or fill out a contact form for a free estimate!