Stated by Frisco roofers, extreme weather of any kind can pose a significant threat to the roof of your home. Hurricanes, though, pose perhaps the most significant threat, since they come with the one-two punch of pounding rain and excessive wind.
First, high winds can lift shingles, flashing and gutters up from your roof and even blow them completely off. This, then, exposes your roof to water damage from the torrential rains that hurricanes can bring.
While it is impossible to completely prevent your roof from exposure to the wind and water that a hurricane causes, there are a few ways you can prepare your roof for hurricane season to give you the best shot of avoiding major catastrophe.
Here are four steps you should take to prepare your roof for hurricane season.
1. Get a Professional Evaluation of Your Roof
A month or so before hurricane season typically starts is a great time to get a professional evaluation of your roof done. Have a local roofing company take a look at the health of your roof and identify any problem areas it might have. If the roofer sees any damaged shingles or flashing – or any other potential issues – you can get them fixed before hurricanes come.
2. Clean Out Gutters and Drain Pipes
A very simple step to prepare your roof for hurricane season is to make sure your gutters and drain pipes are clear of any dirt, leaves and debris. Think of your gutters and drain pipes as your roof’s defense system. When it rains, they catch water and funnel it away from your roof so that it doesn’t sit on top and cause damage. If they are full of dirt, leaves and debris, the water won’t be able to flow freely, causing backups and huge potential issues.
3. Trim the Trees Near Your Roof
When a hurricane starts, there is you can do to stop what Mother Nature is going to do. If there are trees overhanging your roof, for example, only Mother Nature will determine whether they break off and fall on your roof.
That’s why one of the most effective ways to prepare your roof for hurricane season is to trim the trees that are located near your roof, especially if they overhang your house. A professional tree trimming company can examine where the potential problems may exist and then take care of the problem for you. You could also do this on your own, but trimming tree branches that high can be a dangerous undertaking.
4. Make Sure You’re Covered
The final step is to make sure you’re covered to fix your roof in case it does still suffer damage from a hurricane. This includes ensuring your homeowners insurance is up to date and covers roof problems caused by hurricanes.
A good idea is to take photos of your roof before the hurricane comes so that you can have some “before” photos documenting the state of your roof. This will make it easier to prove to the insurance company that the damage your roof has suffered was the result of the hurricane.
While nothing you can do will totally prevent your roof from suffering damage from a hurricane, following these four steps will help you best prepare your roof to sustain the high winds and damaging rain.
