Winter Metal Roof Maintenance Prep List for Homeowners | Billy.com

With winter just around the corner, we must start prepping our homes. After all, the arrival of snow can pose potential issues for our dwellings’ stability and overall condition. Specifically, we need to do a little more to protect our roofs, especially those with metal shingles. So, check out this winter metal roof maintenance prep list for homeowners and protect what matters most.

Clear Your Gutters and Downspouts

Similar to other types of roofing, metal slate shingles do best to mitigate snow and ice build-up when the gutters and downspouts of your home are clean and completely clear of debris. When leaves, twigs, insects, and dirt are left unattended in these areas, it accelerates the process of snow and ice compaction, causing it to spill over onto your roof. Eventually, this leads to roofing complications, such as moisture issues and uneven snow and ice distribution. So, decluttering your downspouts and gutters should make your winter metal roof maintenance prep list for homeowners.

Remove Debris Build-up

Just as well, it’s crucial to remove any debris that might be on your roof. Branches, leaves, and even stray tennis balls can cause severe issues once the snow starts falling. Metal roofs are slick and can easily slough off snow and ice when clear. However, if objects are holding the snow in place, it can cause more compaction, which leads to giant sheets of snow and ice sitting on your roof. And it’s only a matter of time before the weight causes them to slide off, creating a hazardous situation for you and anyone else who spends time in and around your home. So, if you’re looking for a simple and effective way to prep your metal roof for the snowy season, clearing it of debris is an excellent place to start.

Make Sure Your Attic Is Properly Ventilated

You’ll also want to make sure that your attic has adequate ventilation before the frost takes its hold. While it might hard to imagine that the ventilation of your attic has much to do with keeping your roof in good shape, it does quite a bit to keep it stable. Ventilation directly under your roof ensures that the rest of your home stays warm and comfortable despite the frigid temperatures. It can even help regulate the weight distribution of ice and snow, making it as even as possible. A well-ventilated attic also prevents other types of damage, such as mold, mildew, and water damage, that can severely impact the stability of your roof.

Set up Snow Guards

Lastly, you can use snow guards to protect your metal roof all winter long. Snow guards are neat little devices that help catch the snow and ice that falls on your roof. These guards also help prevent compaction so that sheets of snow never get heavy enough to become dangerous. Because of this feature, snow guards also ensure that ice always falls from your roof in small, softer pieces. If you ask us, snow guards are some of the best tools to help you prep your metal roof for a long winter.

We hope our checklist provides more insight into how you can protect your metal roof and the rest of your home all winter long.