At some point in time, your roof will almost surely suffer some form of storm damage. From high winds to heavy rain to snow and everything in between, the elements can have quite a negative impact on a residential roof.
What you might be wondering, though, is what you can do to protect your roof against storm damage. Not only can you repair particular types of damage but you can also proactively implement protection. We’ll discuss both of these topics in detail below.
Fixing a Damaged Roof from a Storm
The good news is that, regardless of the type of storm damage that your roof experiences, you can take steps to fix it. Some of the most common repairs after storm damage include:
Replacing Lost Shingles
If you have a shingle roof, there’s a good chance that some of those shingles will eventually be lost in a storm. Fortunately, shingles are exceedingly easy to replace. Just locate any bare spots on your roof and nail new shingles down; it’s as simple as that.
If you need assistance, your local roofing contractor is the person to see. Otherwise, you might be able to do this on your own.
Repairing Cracked Shingles
Not only do shingles get blown off during storms but they also suffer cracks. Fortunately, a good many of these cracks can be repaired. You can attempt to repair cracked shingles on your own, however, you might want to leave the task to the professionals.
Replacing Sheathing
Let’s say that a branch fell on your roof. As a result, the sheathing underneath your shingles cracked. Can you repair it?
Unfortunately, no. However, that sheathing can be replaced. Call up your local roofing company and they’ll make the replacement for you.
Rebuilding Structural Components of the Roof
In the most severe cases, storm damage can destroy structural components within a roof. When this occurs, they need to be rebuilt. This is not a job for the DIYer.
Instead, you should call up a local roofing contractor. They’ll assess the state of the roof and make every repair and replacement necessary.
Tips for Preventing Storm-related Roof Damage
We’ve discussed what you can do to repair a damaged roof after it’s been affected by a storm. Now, let’s discuss what to do to avoid storm damage entirely. Some of the best tactics include:
Keep Your Trees Trimmed
Perhaps the most important thing to do to prevent storm-related roof damage is to keep your trees trimmed. See, when wind and rain come blowing through, they have the potential to rip branches right off of trees.
Where do these branches sometimes land? Right on top of roofs, of course. And when they do, they can create quite a bit of impact, resulting in fairly substantial damage.
By trimming up the branches on your trees, you keep them stronger and less susceptible to snapping. Therefore, when a bad storm comes through, they don’t fall and can’t affect your roof.
At the very least, make sure that there are no branches overhanging your roof. However, it’s generally wise to leave around 10 feet of clearance between your roof and any branch.
Keep Outdoor Objects Locked Away
If you know a particularly vicious storm is coming, such as a tornado, a hurricane, or the like, you should attempt to lock away as many of your outdoor possessions as possible. This way, when heavy winds come through, they aren’t able to toss these objects into the air.
If they do get tossed into the air, they could very well make contact with your roof. If that occurs, then storm damage is almost sure to occur.
The items you should most strongly focus on include furniture, grills, and lawn ornaments. Note, though, that there are situations in which large items like trampolines have been thrown through the sky. So, if you have a trampoline, keep it as far from your home as possible.
Clean Out the Gutters
Another thing you should do to prevent storm damage to your roof is clean out your gutters. This is vital in protecting against heavy rain and snow. See, if your gutters aren’t clear, this rain and snow will accumulate within them, water-logging the bottom portion of your roof and potentially causing serious damage.
In the winter, dirty gutters can also lead to ice dams. These can cause water damage within your home, costing you thousands of dollars worth of repairs.
Ideally, you’ll clean your gutters twice a year: once right after all of the leaves fall, and once in the spring.
Repair Broken Shingles as They Appear
Another thing you can do to prevent further roof damage is to repair broken shingles as they appear. See, if a shingle is, say, cracked, it can more easily be blown off a roof by the wind. And if a shingle is already missing, it can more easily allow wind to blow off shingles in the spaces around it.
In essence, the better you care for your roof over time, the stronger it will stand in the face of storms. So, provide it with regular maintenance and ensure that it’s as functional as possible. It could save you substantial amounts of time and money down the road.
Has Your Roof Suffered Storm Damage?
Has your roof incurred storm damage? Need storm damage roof repair in Danville, Illinois? If so, we here at Freeman Exteriors are the people to see.
We’re well-versed in the repair of storm-damaged roofs. Regardless of the extent of the damage, our skilled and experienced team has you covered.
Contact us now for a free estimate!
