Tropical Storm-Proof Roofing: Ensuring Your Roof’s Resilience During Storm Season

Nothing
puts more of a dent in your day than a dent in your roof. And
tropical storms can pack a wallop. As the winds kick up and the
debris swirls, anything can come crashing down on your roof. When it
does, you’re left with a big mess and sometimes a big expense.

Is
there any way to hurricane
proof roof
materials like shingles, gutters, and flashing, though? Or are you
left to Mother Nature’s intentions? The answer might surprise you.
As it turns out, there are a few hurricane
proof roofing
strategies you can put into motion to lower your chances of dealing
with massive post-storm
damage.

1.
Upgrade your roof to a sturdier roofing material.

What’s
the strongest
roof for hurricane
force winds? Metal roofing works but doesn’t always look appealing
for residential structures. A better choice is asphalt shingles
designed to handle fierce windstorms. It’s not unusual for a
high-quality asphalt shingle to withstand gusts of 90+ mph or more.
When upgrading, discuss your desire for the toughest roofing shingle
you can purchase with your preferred roofer. As an added benefit to
giving your home a practical curb appeal facelift, you’ll raise
its value,
too.

2.
Pay attention to the health of your roof.

Take
our advice and conduct some seasonal due diligence. At least twice a
year in the spring and the late fall or early winter, check
and protect your roof .
Clean the gutters. Examine it for signs of potential leaks. Look for
dislodged soffits or flashing. If you spot anything, hire someone to
do
some repair work
unless it’s a project you feel confident you can handle yourself.
(However, most homeowners prefer to hand over repairs to a roofing
company.) Staying ahead of problems makes your roof less likely to
suffer preventable storm damage when tropical winds or a hurricane
loom.

3.
Trim all your big trees.

Who
doesn’t love a yard with lots of shade trees? The only problem is
that some trees can grow massively big. The taller and older they
get, the more they branch out. Unfortunately, those beautiful
branches could ruin the integrity of your roof — and your home in
general — if they came loose and fell. Accordingly, take time to
trim all the bigger branches that are threatening your house and its
roof. Again, this may be something you feel competent enough to do
solo. Or, you may choose to hire a landscaper or tree trimmer. Either
way, get those branches down on your terms, not a storm’s.

4.
Take signs of leakage seriously.

Have
you noticed some water marks on the ceiling on the highest level of
your home? Don’t ignore them. They usually are good indicators that
you leak somewhere on your roof. The leak may not be coming from the
roof materials, per se. It might be coming from the area around a
vent or a skylight. Regardless, you need to know the source of the
leak. During a storm, the leaking will only persist and could wind
up, causing the surrounding roofing and building materials to become
wet. That’s a good way to prepare for mold and extensive repair
work.

5.
Get regular roof inspections.

It
takes very little time to set up a roof inspection annually. Just
call a professional team like ours at Findlay Roofing. The point
isn’t to try to sell you on buying a new roof but to make sure you
haven’t missed anything that could cause trouble during a tropical
storm. Even if you go through twice-yearly roofing maintenance tasks,
you could miss an issue that a professional would immediately notice.
If nothing else, regular roof inspections will make you feel much
more comfortable when you hear that a tropical storm or hurricane
will hit your area.

You
can’t stop winds and rain from coming your way. But you can protect
your home and its roof from foreseeable damage by taking preventive
and proactive measures.

Of
course, if you have storm damage, please contact
us immediately. We’ll help you return your property to usable,
aesthetically appealing quickly.