While Santa and his elves are finishing up toy making and
preparing to pack the sled, there's an important job homeowners have to do to
prepare for the upcoming Christmas holiday -- make sure your roof is Reindeer-Ready.
Turns out reindeer aren't as "tiny" as the classic
story suggests. The average adult
reindeer weighs at least 250 pounds.
Multiply that by eight (or nine, if you include the shiny-nosed
variety), and your roof could have a ton of extra weight to support this
Christmas, not including Santa and presents.
To be sure the roof is ready for everything winter has in
store, including reindeer, the non-profit Metal Roofing Alliance
(www.metalroofing.com) suggests the following roof review, which can be done
without a ladder:
- For homes with asphalt shingles, look for black areas indicating
cracking shingles.
- For homes with shake or shingles, look for pieces that are curled
upward, split, broken off or missing.
- For homes with slate roofs, look for black areas that indicate
slate is missing.
- Look for heavy wear around the valleys, the areas where water runs
off the roof into the gutters.
- Look at the materials around the chimney and vent pipes and check
for cracks, gaps and missing or fractured caulking.
- Check eave overhangs for water damage.
- Use binoculars to check around the chimney, trim and other
flashings for signs of cracks, shingles that are coming up off the roof
and general wear.
- Conduct an interior inspection for stained or discolored ceilings,
which most likely indicates roof problems.
- Check your gutters for asphalt shingle granules. Lots of granules means less coverage on your roof.
10. Remove
branches, twigs and leaves from gutters and clear out down spouts to allow for snow
and ice run off.
and ice run off.
"If your
roof's not quite ready for the threat of harsh weather and holiday landings,
you may want to consider installing a durable metal roof," said Bill
Hippard, president of the Metal Roofing Alliance (www.metalroofing.com). "Most metal roofing is installed
directly over the existing roof, reducing installation time, and clean-up.
Additionally, metal roofs have long-term warranties and provide an
eco-friendly, sustainable solution."
Residential metal
roofing now comes in a wide variety of styles and colors, ranging from
traditional standing seam to shake, slate and tile. For more information, or to find a local
metal roofing contractor, homeowners can visit www.metalroofing.com.
