One of the best feelings in the world is owning your own home. However, there is great responsibility that comes along with owning your own home. Maintaining your own house is one of the more serious responsibilities that come with owning your own place. This is not easy, and it does not come cheap. Still, it needs to be done. And a big part of maintenance is taking care of your roof.
If you don’t weatherproof your roof, it’s going to get damaged. If it gets damaged, you’re in a world of hurt. Leaks during a heavy storm can cause catastrophic damage to your home, both in terms of the damage done to the things in your house, and the actual structure of the house itself. If you don’t want things to come to that, you need to reinforce your roof as soon as possible. Below are some ways you can do just that.
Work on your attic insulation
The first point on our list is getting proper attic insulation. At first glance, it seems this has nothing to do with weatherproofing your roof. However, in colder, northern climates, it’s very important. On a poorly insulated attic, hot air will easily leave your home. Now, imagine if your roof is covered in snow. The air that escapes will be warm enough to melt the bottom layer of snow covering your roof. This will then lead to ice forming, which both damages your roof and makes it very hazardous to walk on. The ice can lead to serious cracks forming, which can spread and lead to leaks and other issues.
Get de-icing cables
While we’re on the topic of ice, getting de-icing cables is great if you have issues with ice constantly forming on your roof. These are very easy to install, and they break up ice before it even forms. Now, de-icing cables are essentially cables that run on electricity, and that warm up when powered up. They cover your roof and heat up to a temperature that melts all the ice that builds up.
Remember to properly install them, and have them lead to a gutter system, otherwise, the water can pool on your roof. Also, put a section of cable through downspouts and gutters so they can prevent these from freezing up as well.
Flashing
Another thing you should try out is lead flashing. Namely, flashing is used to reinforce weak points on your roof, areas that may leak or gather moisture. It acts like a sealer that plugs problematic areas. Things like valleys, edges, and basically any depression or protrusion on a roof. Lead is a popular option for flashing, due to its malleability and affordability. It also has a very long lifespan and is recyclable.
Contact a good contractor and get this set up as soon as possible. However, if you’re confident in your DIY skill, we suggest you get top-notch quality lead products and some advice from a professional. While it’s not the hardest DIY job out there, it does require some skill and instruction.
Install gutter guards
Think of gutters as highway systems of your home. However, you need to maintain them properly, otherwise, they will clog up. If your area suffers from heavy rainfall, and if you constantly have debris in your gutters, then gutter guards will defiantly weatherproof your roof.
These are essentially cages that you install over your gutters. They then keep leaves and other stuff from falling in and clogging everything up. These are also easy to install, and much easier to clean (at least when compared to gutters).
Paint and coatings
Often, it’s not the cold, or water, that damages your roof, but rather, the heat. High temperatures lead to cracks forming in caulk and asphalt shingles and materials. You can avoid this by using a coat of white paint on your roof which can reflect heat. Another option is getting special heat-resistant coats and materials and applying them on your roof.
Conclusion
If you want to make the most out of your home, you should do everything you can to maintain it, and a big part of that is weatherproofing your roof. You should think about setting proper flashings up, installing gutter guards, and working on your attic insulation. De-icing cables are an excellent choice as well. If you have trouble with high temperatures damaging your roof, think about painting it white or using a UV resistant coat.
About the Author
Liam Smith is a young and aspiring Australian blogger with a passion for everything related to home, design, and lifestyle. He has a B.Sc. in Interior design and is an avid reader. You can find him on Twitter and Linkedin
