There are many regions in the United States, and in every region, there are different severe weather threats. Some threats are powerful, and others are not. No matter if your home is in a region that’s cold or hot, this roofing guide will help you protect your roof from the threats of severe weather with everything that you’ve got.
The Most Important Places to Check on Your Roof Following a Storm
Although a roof has many components, you do not have to check them all after a storm. Here are the key locations that you should focus on during a basic roof inspection.
The Gutters
The best way to keep your gutters in peak shape is by clearing out all debris following every storm. There are two ways to tackle this job. If you want to stick to the basics, just climb up to your gutters with a bucket, grab all of the debris, and place all of the waste into the bucket. If you want to complete this job faster, get rid of the bucket, and place a tarp on the ground underneath your gutters. While the tarp is underneath you, throw the debris on the ground and let the tarp catch it.
The Shingles
There are a few scenarios where it’s important to check your shingles. You should definitely search your property for missing shingles following every severe rainstorm, tropical storm, or hurricane, and you should absolutely check your roof’s structural integrity following a hailstorm.
Make Every Inspection Thorough
In some cases, checking your gutters and shingles after a storm will be not enough. It will be best to cover all of the bases. To so do, you’ll have to inspect the gutter, the shingles, and other key components, such as the ridge caps, flashing, and vents. However, if you do not have the courage or the willpower to accomplish this, just contact a roofer, and schedule a roof inspection.
The Threats
If you want to be on guard throughout the year, there are five weather threats that you must be aware of. Here’s everything that you’ll need to know about these threats and how they can impact a roofing system.
Wind – Can Damage Shingles and Major Roof Features
Strong wind can pack a mean one-two punch. Not only can it lift the shingles directly off a roof, but it can also make the foundation more vulnerable to water damage.
When it comes wind damage intensity, it varies from storm to storm. The weakest winds are produced by regular rainstorms; they max out at around 58 mph.
Producing winds that can reach up a 73 mpg, a tropical storm is an even bigger threat. These winds can tear the shingles and flashing off a roof.
Hurricane winds are the mightiest winds. If you don’t know the numbers, here are some basic stats:
- A category one hurricane can produce winds that range between 74 to 95 mpg
- A category two hurricane can produce winds that range between 96 to 110 mpg
- A category three hurricane can clock in between 111 to 129 mpg
- A category four hurricane can generate gusts that span from 130 to 156 mpg
- A category five hurricane’s winds can top out at mph 157 mph of higher
Hail – A Big Risk for Shingles and a Roof’s Foundation
On each individual shingle, there are many small speckles. These speckles are called granules. The granules are not permanently glued on a shingle. If many hailstones fall in a roof at a high velocity, some of the granules on a roof will begin to chip away.
Rain – A Possible Cause of Roof Rot
Alone, rain is not a threat for a roof. However, when wind is part of the equation, it creates a dangerous combination for a few reasons. For starters, if the wind exposes the decking, the decking will soak up moisture, and this makes a roof vulnerable. Second, a vulnerable roof will not be able to support itself in the long run. The second threat is more dangerous; it’s the potential for mold growth. If a roof starts to leak and creates moisture, mold will begin to grow in all of the compromised areas; this includes any soggy insulation that’s found in a home’s ceilings and walls.
Snow – A Source of Ice Dams and Wood Rot
If you remove the snow off your roof immediately following every snowstorm, your roof will never be at risk. However, if you fail to shovel all of the snow off your roof on a cold day, ice dams will form on the edge of it. Ice dams are clusters of ice that create ice icicles. They will continue to hang there until they lose their grip once they begin to melt. Ice icicles from ice dams are very sharp, so they could injure someone if they suddenly fall.
