Roof Winter Checklist for Spokane Homes: What to Check Before the Snow
Before snow arrives, walk around your house and check five things from the ground: shingles, flashing, gutters, vents and the attic. Small problems found in October are cheap to fix. The same problems found under snow are leaks.
Winter is hard on a roof because water gets into small gaps, and a roof with a gap under snow is a roof that leaks into the house. This checklist is what you can look at yourself, without going up there, and what to leave to a roofer.
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Stay off the roof
Do not climb onto the roof to check it. It is slippery when it is wet, cold or covered in leaves, and the risk is not worth it. Everything below is done from the ground, from a ladder at the eave, or from inside the house. Binoculars help.
The ground-level checklist
- Shingles. Walk around the house and look for missing, cracked, curled or lifted shingles. Shingle pieces or granules (the gritty surface) in the gutters or on the ground are a sign the surface is wearing.
- Flashing. Look at the metal around chimneys, vents, skylights and walls, and in valleys. Bent, lifted or gapped flashing is one of the most common places for a leak to start.
- Gutters and downspouts. Clear the leaves and debris, check that water runs away from the house, and look for sagging or loose sections. Gutters that cannot drain leave water sitting at the roof edge.
- Debris and moss. Leaves, needles and moss on the roof hold moisture against the shingles. If you can see buildup from the ground, it is worth dealing with before winter.
- Vents. Look at the pipe and roof vents for dents, cracks or gaps around the base.
- Overhanging branches. Limbs close to the roof can scrape shingles or come down in a storm.
Check the attic on a dry day
From inside the house, use a flashlight:
- Look at the underside of the roof boards for dark stains, damp patches or daylight coming through.
- Check the ceilings in rooms below for new stains.
- Look for any musty smell, which can mean moisture is getting in.
If you find a stain, note where it is and when you saw it. That helps whoever looks at it work out the cause.
What to leave to a roofer
Some jobs are not for a ladder: resealing flashing around chimneys and vents, repairing or replacing shingles, clearing buildup from the roof surface, and finding where a stain in the attic actually comes from. A free roof inspection covers shingles, flashing, vents, gutters and decking, and ends with photos of every problem area and a note on what each one needs.
Our roof maintenance in Spokane work includes a full inspection, debris and moss removal, sealant and flashing checks, minor repairs, a gutter and drainage check, and pre-winter and post-storm tune-ups.
When to do it
Do the checklist before the first snow, on a dry day. Do it again after any big windstorm, since wind lifts shingles and bends flashing. If a storm has already caused damage, see storm damage roof repair and keep dated photos taken from the ground.
What if you find something?
A single loose shingle or a bit of debris is a small job. A stain on the attic boards or a ceiling is a reason to get the roof looked at before winter, not after. If you are not sure what you are looking at, we will take a look, tell you what we see and what it needs. See our roof repair page, or call (509) 230-0632.
Avidus Roofing & Exteriors. Licensed and insured. WA Lic. AVIDURE761B3.