Wind Damage – How To Protect Your Roof

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South Carolina is prone to hurricanes and these bring dangerous gusts. Your roof will bear the brunt of the impact and a prolonged battering will result in wind damage. Even if the weather system doesn’t reach hurricane status, it can still leave your roof in bad shape. If your roof is in poor condition before the storm comes, it’ll be even more vulnerable. You can’t control the weather, but you can ensure your roof is as durable as possible. That’s why it’s so important that you know to protect your investment. This blog post will provide you with some tips, but a residential roofer in Greenville, SC can help you to take the necessary steps.

Inspect the Roof from the Ground

If you don’t have the necessary training and equipment, you shouldn’t attempt to climb on your roof. However, you can check for problems without having to use a ladder. Simply walk around the perimeter of your home and make sure the gutters are secure and no visible shingles are damaged or lifting. Both gutters and shingles can become airborne during a storm.

Know Which Areas of Your Roof Are Most Vulnerable 

Some parts of your roof, like the edges, are more prone to wind damage than others. Any loose materials are also likely to lift when there are high winds. When the next gust blows, more shingles may lift, and the interior of the roof could become vulnerable to damage. Like many other roofing problems, wind damage can start out small and then progress over time. Getting regular inspections ahead of bad weather will allow you to address issues before they worsen.

Make Your Roofing Materials Are in Place and Secured

If just one or two shingles are missing or damaged, your roof shouldn’t be in too much danger. However, if there are large areas with curled, warped or missing shingles, strong winds are likely to blow them away and expose the interior roofing materials to wind and rain. If you have a metal or concrete roof, it’s more likely to stand up to strong winds and heavy rain.

Trim Low Hanging Branches Near Your Home

Trees provide much-needed shade when it’s sunny but during bad weather, they can pose a threat. Large branches may drop on your roof and break your shingles. If a tree is old, weakened, or leaning, it’s possible that the entire tree could fall. That’s why you need to pay close attention to the trees near your home. Look for fungal growth in the trunk or at the base of the tree as well as signs of insect infestation. If it seems like trees around your home are dangerous, get them removed and trim back the branches that are close to your house. Wind damage from fallen branches can be potentially devastating to a structure.

Secure Furniture and Ornaments or Take Them Inside

Anything that isn’t firmly staked down can become airborne if the wind is strong enough. Even things that are heavy can become missiles that damage homes and injure people. That’s why you should secure your outdoor furniture, decorations, toys, and other loose items. Metal stakes and cable locks can help to keep larger items in place, but you should put small ornaments and toys in the house or storage shed. Just like fallen branches mentioned above, massive gusts can cause wind damage using outside furniture as projectiles.

Check Your Attic

If you want to ensure that your roof is truly ready to handle strong gusts, you also need to take a look at your attic. Look for water damage and other signs of leaks and make sure the roof sheathing is properly attached to the trusses. If you’re not sure how to do this, a Greenville roofing expert can come in and inspect your attic and your roof.

Follow the Advice of Professionals on Wind Damage

If you’re not particularly knowledgeable about roofing issues, you need to call a professional. Roofing contractors will come to your home, look for weak areas in the roof, and make recommendations on how the problems can be addressed to avoid wind damage in the future. If your roof is older or it has been several years since you’ve had a professional inspection, you need to schedule a visit as soon as possible.

Get Help from Lanier Roofing Before the Next Big Storm

Now that you know some of the things you can do to protect your roof from wind damage, reach out to the team at Lanier Roofing and get the personalized help you need. We’ll evaluate both the interior and exterior components of your roof and advise you on how you can make sure your home protects both you and your family. Get in touch with our Greenville roofers today.

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