With hurricane season coming up fast, it’s time to start preparing your roof ahead of time for the possible damage. Your roof is a huge investment that can be difficult to replace if the high winds and rain leave it in shambles.
Don’t worry, even if you didn’t keep up with regular maintenance throughout the year, it’s not too late to start now by creating a hurricane proof roof. We can give you a few pointers to help you get started.
Check out this guide to learn how to protect your roof against even the nastiest of storms that may hit the Greater Houston area.
1. Keep Up with Regular Maintenance
The first step to preventing hurricane roof damage is by keeping up with regular maintenance throughout the year. this means calling a professional to come to your home and look over your roof.
It will cost money getting this process done a few times a year, but you’ll save money in the long run when you don’t have to get expensive roof repairs done.
2. Go Over Your Insurance Policy
Let’s assume you don’t get hurricane roof protection done before a storm hits your Greater Houston home. The repairs are going to be costly and you may not be sure if you’re going to be able to handle it.
It might make you feel better to know that your insurance will cover a good portion of the repairs for you. Always look over your insurance policy and deductibles ahead of time so you know what to expect.
It will save you a lot of stress if your roof is destroyed, and it’s good to be familiar with how much damage your provider will cover.
3. Head to the Attic
Now it’s time to actually begin inspecting and reinforcing your roof. The first step in the process is to head up to your attic. Look for any fragile places that may be falling apart or crumbling.
You should also look around for water stains or mold. This could indicate that you have a leak. You’ll need to get this fixed to ensure none of the heavy rains that come hand in hand with hurricanes can get in to cause further damage.
4. Clean Your Gutters
If your gutters are packed with debris, the heavy rain can get backed up and form huge puddles on your roof. If this water is allowed to stay on the roof it could leak into other areas of your home.
So, before hurricane season begins, it’s a good idea to have someone come out to clean your gutters or at least make the attempt to do it yourself.
5. Check for Loose Shingles
When you hear that a storm is about to brush through your area, start checking your roof for any loose shingles and have them secured.
If you don’t, there is a good chance that the hurricane will rip them off when it brushes through. If this happens, it will leave your roof vulnerable to heavy amounts of rainwater.
6. Be on the Lookout for Rust
Before the storm arrives, check for any rusted nails and metal connections. This is a huge sign that your roof is beginning to wear out.
Your roof will most likely fall apart if a mild storm sweeps through your area, let alone a hurricane. It’s unfortunate and expensive but if you spot any worn places on your roof, you’ll need to get it replaced before the hurricane arrives.
7. Secure Your Yard and Have Your Trees Trimmed
Walk around your yard and look for any loose debris sitting on your lawn. Grab a garbage bag and clean things up. If you leave it as is, this debris can get swept up by the hurricane and become dangerous flying projectiles.
While you’re cleaning up, you should also check over your trees. Any dead limbs have the potential to snap off and fall on your roof.
8. Have Hurricane Straps Installed
Hurricane straps and gables can be installed on your roof to give it a little bit of extra oomph to stand up against big storms. Protection isn’t the only incentive to have these installed.
Insurance companies tend to give homeowners who have hurricane straps on their roof an extra discount on their premiums.
9. Secondary Water Barriers
You can also get a sweet insurance discount by having a secondary water barrier installed on your roof.
Having one installed will help keep rainwater from seeping through and getting into your attic. If you’re already having your roof replaced or repaired, it can be a worthwhile add-on.
10. Schedule an Inspection
Again, prevention is the best way to keep your roof where it belongs. It’s better (and less expensive) to have a professional come to inspect your roof and make repairs before the storm rips it off.
Even if you inspect your roof yourself and judge it to be fine, you should still have a professional check behind you. They have a keener eye for details and will be able to find problem spots that you didn’t catch when you were looking around.
Creating a Hurricane Proof Roof in Time for Hurricane Season
Hurricane season is almost upon us. It’s time to create a hurricane proof roof before it’s too late to do so. Even if you haven’t been keeping up with proper maintenance, it’s not too late to give your roof a little TLC.
Perform the steps that we’ve covered here to spot problems and have your roof reinforced. If you find any damages during your inspection, we can come in and do repairs. Contact us to learn more about our services.
Crowbar
Crowbars are one of the quickest ways to remove stubborn roofing nails.
Flat Head Shovel
Flatheads can be used to remove shingles quickly without causing damage to the wood beneath.
Hammer
Hammers are useful in securing nails that don’t go in properly and removing a few shingles at a time.
New Year, New Roof!
If you’re feeling brave enough to tackle your own roof repair, then you know the roof repair materials you’ll need to do the job right.
For jobs that need a professional hand contact Fitz Roofing!
