The winter season is often a time of joy and happiness for many families, with mince pies and mulled wine becoming a staple part of many people’s diets. However, there are other aspects of the season that aren’t so merry that should be taken into consideration.
Ensuring that your roof is well maintained throughout the year, but particularly in winter is highly important. Your roof bears most of the brunt during the storms and cold spells and you should always keep a check on it to get on top of any minor problems before they require costly repairs.
Keeping Your Gutters Clear
Making a regular effort to clean leaves and other plant life from your gutter is highly important to ensure that what is known as ‘Ice Dams’ don’t occur. An ice dam is when snow and ice refreeze on the edge of roofs where the surface is cooler and prevents the melting snow from draining. This can cause water to back up into the roof and begin leaking into your home. Keeping your guttering clear ensures that water is diverted away from your home, avoiding any problematic issues in the future.
Should an ice dam occur on the roof of your property, it is not advisable to get rid of this yourself as it could cause damage to the roof. We would recommend leaving this issue to be dealt with quickly by our professional team.
Insulation, Ventilation, and Condensation
Attic ventilation and insulation are significant to prolonging the life and durability of a healthy roof system. A poorly insulated attic is the prime cause of condensation occurrence which can lead to mildew and mould damaging the interior structure of your home. Attic ventilation not only helps to regulate the temperature inside of your house and reduces your energy costs, but improper ventilation can cause serious damage to your roof and create ice dams.
Lack of ventilation can also cause your insulation to become less effective. Ensuring that you have proper ventilation can prevent structural damage caused by moisture, keep your energy consumption low, and helps to prolong the lifespan of your roof.
If you suspect you may have an issue with your roof, then contact Abbey Roofing today. Serving both domestic and commercial customers across Oxfordshire, our team of professionals can help with any problems that you may be experiencing.
Contact us today for further information.