Poor Ventilation
Condensation occurs when warm air meets a cold surface. Unfortunately, as a consequence of poor ventilation and improper insulation an attic is a prime candidate for the formation of condensation, which can lead to mold and mildew, damaging the interior structure of your home. To prevent condensation, ensure your attic is properly ventilated. Inadequate ventilation can damage your roof including the decking and encourage ice dams shortening the overall lifespan of your roof. Contact the professionals at M&M Roofing for additional information.
Flashing Leaks
Flashings are the strips of metal that are placed along the front edge, corners and ridges of your roof and around your chimney and skylights. Flashing can start to pull away from the roofing system during a violent storm, especially, if it old or was not installed properly, and lead to water leaks. Inspect your flashings about every six months to help prevent this from becoming a problem. Contact the professionals at M&M Roofing for additional information or a free inspection
Strong Winds
Hurricanes aren’t common in our area, however, strong winds are. When wind speed increases it can start to loosen shakes and shingles on the roof. It’s important to inspect your roof after a strong windstorm to insure that shingles are not dislodged or missing. If you notice shingles or (heaven forbid) other parts of your roof scattered on the ground contact the professionals at M&M Roofing for a free inspection and to have the missing roofing replaced before additional damage occurs.
Tree Limbs
We are blessed with lots of trees in the lower Hudson Valley, however, as most homeowners know trees near the home can wreak havoc on the roof. Overhanging limbs too close to the roof can scratch it’s surface and damage the protective top layer. Branches falling on the roof can cause problems as well such as weakening the roofing system or completely puncturing it. Branch close to the roof or home is also an invitation for critters to enter the home for winter or even spring nesting. To protect your home and family all branches that come within 6 feet of the roof should be trimmed.
Ice Dams
Ice dams are generally uncommon in the lower Hudson Valley, but they’ve been known to occur every 5 to 10 years or so. Ice dams occurs when the upper areas of a snow-covered roof begins to thaw and the lower areas including the gutters are still frozen. Snow on the upper section of the roof, where it is warmer, starts to melt and flow down towards the lower section, where it is colder, and re-freezes causing an ice dam. Subsequent melting snow has nowhere to go and pools behind the dam finding its way through weaknesses in the roofing system, causing damage and leaking into your home.
A properly insulated and ventilate attic in conjunction with electric heat tape can help to reduce the occurrence of ice dams.
New modified rubber underlayment such as GAF WeatherWatch® Leak Barrier orStormGuard® Film-Surfaced Leak Barrier are suitable applications to solve roof leaking. Contact the Contact the professionals at M&M Roofing for a free roof inspection and additional information.
Icicles
Icicles are also typically formed by a combination of sunny days and sub-freezing temperatures. They may look pretty, but they can pose a real danger to people and pets if they were to break and fall. Also, their excessive weight can often damage roofs, gutters and down spouts. Oftentimes icicles are formed as a result of clogged gutters. To discourage icicles from forming, gutters should be cleaned of leaves, needles and other debris in the fall or before the first snow storm.
Spring is here and so is the promise of warmer weather. It’s time to attend to gutter maintenance to avoid leaking and other problems during the spring rains. Contact the professionals at M&M Roofing for your gutter maintenance and inspection.