Prep Your Home For Spring

As the snow begins to melt and homeowners everywhere prepare for a shift in the climate, making sure your home is prepared for the changes that can occur is vital to having a problem-free spring.

“When it comes to your roof, the real problem is that the changing temperatures will cause the plywood deck to expand and contract, “ says Roofing Expert, Eric Consuegra, “This expansion and contraction causes the roofing nails to back out and pop through the shingles which result in “nail pops”. Aluminum ridge vents are also susceptible to this expansion and contraction due to temperature changes which cause the ridge vent fasteners to back out to the point where a strong wind can rip the entire ridge vent off the roof.”

The springtime season, as joyous as it may be, can bring some downfalls in the form of heavy rainfall and stormy weather that can lead to flooding. Preparing your home for the coming season can be done by taking the time to ensure that you’re the exterior of your home is in tip-top shape.

Get Outside.

As the weather is warming up, it’s time to get outside and enjoy it! While you’re out there take the time to check these key exterior areas of your home for problems on the rise.

Check #1: The Roof.

Your roof is perhaps the most important part of the exterior of your home. Making sure to give your roof a good once over before the start of every season can prevent you from costly repairs in the future.

Here is a quick checklist that can give you some insight into the health of your roof:

1. Check your Roof for Cracked, Torn, Bald or Missing Shingles. Anything over ten shingles can be a serious problem and a sign that your roof may need replacing.
2. Look for Roof Stress Signs like loose material or wear around your chimneys, vents, or pipes that may need further inspection. “Something that homeowners can easily spot from the ground is loose fascia metal…” explains Roofing Expert, Eric Consuegra, “Fascia metal fasteners can come loose with the change in temperature and blow off of the boards causing the vinyl soffit to fall down”.
3. Another common sign of roof wear is when the shingle granules start to deteriorate. When this happens, often you will see shingle granules start to show up in gutters
4. Other issues may include wearing caulk and dark spots that show your roof may becoming a victim to the elements.

Another tip to keep in mind is if it’s not easy for you to get onto your roof, binoculars can be a great tool to aid you in checking your roof for damage from below!

It may also be beneficial to you to get a “Roof Tune-Up” before the start of every season, so that a Certified Roof Technician can examine your roof for problems and catch things that you may not see on the roof. Remember that a little preventative maintenance to tighten up loose nails on the roof can save homeowners thousands of dollars in damages.

Check #2: The Gutters.

Keeping your gutters in great shape can not only save you money from having to replace your gutters in the future, but also save your money from roof and water damage that can occur from a clogged gutter as well.

Here are a few tips that can save you time and money, when making sure your gutters are ready for the springtime.

1. Clean out those gutters. Cleaning of your gutters should ideally occur twice a year, in early spring and late fall. However, this will depend on how many trees you have in the yard and how much debris can easily enter your gutters.
2. When cleaning your gutters, pay close attention to the area where the gutter meets the downspout. If this area is clogged it can create water build-up that will eventually cascade over out of your gutters and wash away your landscaping or even worse weaken the foundation of your home.
3. If you have the spike and ferrule gutter system (seen on the right), you’ll want to be sure to keep the spikes tight all year round. This way your gutter can avoid being ripped off the fascia board in times of snow and ice, which we all know has taken quite a toll on our homes this year.
4. Once your gutters are cleared out, we recommend that you seal the ends and seams of the gutters with a high-density gutter sealant to prevent water from escaping in places where it’s not meant to.

While checking up on your gutters, always remember that the Best Solution for your gutters is to invest in a gutter guard. Gutter guards will protect the openings of your gutter to prevent falling leaves and debris from entering your gutters and allow only water to get in.

We recommend using the RhinoGuard Gutter Protection system, which uses combines a stainless steel mesh, to prevent even shingle granules from entering, with a typical gutter protector that prevents leaves and larger debris from getting into your gutters.

Make giving your home a Pre-Spring Check-Up easy, by calling us at AROCON Roofing & Construction, we’d love to give you a FREE estimate and ensure that your home is ready to go for the coming season!

As Roofing Expert, Eric Consuegra says, “Pay a little now instead of lot later.”