5 Steps to Inspect & Spring Clean Your Roof

Spring is officially here. Flowers will soon start poking up from the ground and trees will start to bud. Hopefully we don’t get much more snow! With the weather starting to warm up, you might be getting the urge to give your house a good spring clean. While you’re working through the inside of your home with tasks such as dusting and organizing closets and cupboards, it’s easy to forget about the outside of your home.

Your roof is an important structure that needs just as much attention as the inside of your home. Inspecting and cleaning it should be a priority on your spring cleaning list.

Spring roof inspections & clean ups are important because your roof will have taken a beating during the winter months. Built up snow and ice can prevent pools of water from properly draining off your roof, not to mention expanding ice can damage tiles. You can inspect your roof for signs of damage that go deeper than just roof tiles.

Here are 5 steps you can take to make sure your roof can make it another year, or find out if it’s time to replace it.

1. Take a Walk

Before you actually take out your ladder and climb up, it’s a good idea to just do a visual inspection from the ground. In fact, if you are nervous on a ladder, you can do the entire inspection from the ground with a pair of binoculars. Look for obvious signs of damage, blockages, and debris.

2. Inspection

If you have a sturdy ladder handy, and another person to help spot you, you can climb up for a closer look. Keeping ladder safety in mind, take a close look at your roof for any cracked caulking or rust, curling, buckling, or missing shingles, or any bubbling or blistering.

3. Remove Debris

Remove any debris that may have collected on the roof during the winter months. This includes leaves, branches, pine needles, pine cones, and anything else you find that doesn't belong! Now is also a good time to inspect your gutters and clear out debris that may prevent water from properly draining.

4. Trim Branches

Look for any trees that have branches touching or coming within a couple feet of your roof or home. It’s a good idea to carefully trim these areas back as loose branches can cause damage to the shingles. The close shade of a tree can also promote the growth of mildew on the roof.

5. Look For Signs of Mould

Mould, mildew, lichen, and algae can cause some serious damage to your roof. They can be signs of rotting and water damage that can go deeper into your home and cause not only structural issues but also health issues.

It’s always a good idea to have a professional inspect your roof if you suspect it might need to be replaced or repaired. You should also consult a professional if you think there might be issues that go deeper into your home, such as in the insulation or structure.

A part of inspecting your roof should also be inspecting your attic for signs of mould, mildew, and even animals that may have made your attic into their winter home. All of these things can compromise your insulation, costing you money on power bills and possibly affecting your family’s health and safety.

If you suspect an issue with your insulation, feel free to contact us at Georgian Insulation. We can inspect your insulation and help you come up with a solution to ensure your home is properly insulated for the warmer months.

Georgian Insulation Systems, the area’s leading insulation contractor will work with you to achieve the highest level of efficiency in your home.  Call us for a free estimate on your project.

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4 Tips to Preparing Your Roof and Home for Winter

It’s November, which means it's time to get your house ready for the winter conditions ahead; snow, freezing rain, sleet, cold wind, and winter storms. Your roof protects your home against harsh weather conditions and it is essential that it's in good condition to keep your family comfortable and your energy costs low.

Roof winterization means not only a visual inspection of your roof surface, but also preparation of the areas around your house that might impact your roof in a winter storm. Here are some things you can do to prepare your roof and home for winter:

• Remove any dead trees or tree branches that could fall on your home now before the weather makes this task more difficult. Ice build up on these weakened branches can cause severe damage, especially in high winds.
• Inspect your roof thoroughly, look for missing or damaged tiles/shingles, warped or missing flashing.
• Clean off any built up debris and clean out the gutters to keep melted water flowing. Check that your gutters are clear by running water through from the roof surface.
• If you had an area of icicles hanging down from roof eaves last winter, then you should address the problem before you end up with water damage in your home and damage to your roof. Roof dams are often caused by inadequate ceiling insulation, or poor soffit and ridge ventilation.

We can help you evaluate the condition that caused the ice dam. Thermal imaging can pin-point areas of heat loss. Insulation can be added to stop the flow of heat out of the weak area. It's not always the case that you need to add more insulation - you might need a different type of insulation, so it's important to have professional advice.

If you need roof repairs, contact a licensed roofing contractor right away, and if your roof looks fine, remember it is a good idea to have a roof expert take a look at it every 2 or 3 years to confirm its condition.

As a homeowner getting ready for winter means more than turning off the exterior water, putting away the patio furniture, and firing up the snow-blower. Inspecting the overall condition of your roof and addressing any issues with your home insulation will help you fix problems causing snow and ice builds up. Don't wait until the damage is done. Ice dams not only cause roof damage but interior water damage resulting in the expense of replaced drywall.

Georgian Insulation is based in Oro Medonte. We cover all regions around Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood, Bradford, Alliston, Midland, Gravenhust, Simcoe County, Muskoka, Haliburton, Dufferin, North York, Grey and Bruce.

Contact Us for a Free Quote - Call 1-866-576-9338 or go to our websitewww.georgianinsulation.com and fill out our form.

Get Ready for Winter - Inspect Your Roof & Get Advice on Insulation

In November it's time to get your house ready for the holidays and for the winter conditions ahead, snow, freezing rain, sleet, winter storms. Your roof protects your home against harsh weather conditions and it is essential that it's in good condition to keep your family comfortable and your energy costs low.

Roof winterization means not only a visual inspection of your roof surface, but also preparation of the areas around your house that might impact your roof in a winter storm. Ice build up on tree branches that come down during high winds can do a lot of damage to a roof. Remove any dead trees or tree branches that could fall on your home now before the weather makes this task more difficult.

Did you have a roof ice dam last winter? If you had an area of icicles hanging down from roof eaves then you should address the problem before you end up with water damage in your home and damage to your roof. Roof dams are often caused by inadequate ceiling insulation, or poor soffit and ridge ventilation. (Image: source Home Construction Improvement.com)

We can help you evaluate the condition that caused the ice dam. Thermal imaging can pin-point areas of heat loss. Insulation can be added to stop the flow of heat out of the weak area. It's not always the case that you need to add more insulation - you might need a different type of insulation, so it's important to have professional advice.

When inspecting your roof look for missing or damaged tiles/shingles, warped or missing flashing. Clean off any built up debris and clean out the gutters to keep melt water flowing. Check that your gutters are clear by running water through from the roof surface.

If you need roof repairs, contact a liscensed roofing contractor right away, and if your roof looks fine, remember it is a good idea to have a roof expert take a look at it every 2 or 3 years to confirm its condition.

As a homeowner getting ready for winter means more than turing off the exterior water, putting away the patio furniture, and firing up the snow-blower. Inspecting the overall condition of your roof and addressing any issues with your home insulation will help you fix problems causing snow and ice builds up. Don't wait until the damage is done. Ice dams not only cause roof damage but interior water damage resulting in the expense of replaced dry wall.

Georgian Insulation is based in Oro Medonte. We cover all regions around Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood, Bradford, Alliston, Midland, Gravenhust, Simcoe County, Muskoka, Haliburton, Dufferin, North York, Grey and Bruce.

Contact Us for a Free Quote - Call 1-866-576-9338 or go to our website www.georgianinsulation.com and fill out our form.