How should you prepare your home for the next Minnesota winter? As the autumn leaves fall off the trees and the temperature drops, you need to start thinking about cold-weather prep. If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at what you need to know about Minnesota winters, your roof, and home maintenance.

How Can Winter Impact Your Roof?

Each season comes with different potential roofing issues. The flooding rains of the spring can leak through a roof that has missing shingles, significant wear and tear, or damage. Summer storms and whipping winds can tear shingles off your roof, and hail can puncture or dent the roof’s outer layer. Autumn leaves can fill gutters, causing clogs and backups that leak into your home. (more…)

Maintaining your roof will help you prevent frequent damages, maintain its energy efficiency, and prolong its lifespan. However, you have to approach maintenance the right way to reap the maximum benefits. Below are some best practices for maintaining your roof.

Combine DIY and Professional Maintenance

Roof maintenance requires both DIY and professional approaches. Conduct the DIY inspections and maintenance as regularly as you can. Some maintenance practices you can do without a professional’s input include:
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Many homeowners are unaware of the damage their roofs could be sustaining week in and week out.

Many seemingly innocuous elements have the potential to contribute to the deterioration of your roof. The more you understand these elements, the better prepared you will be to protect your roof against permanent damage in the future.

1. Moisture

Moisture is your roof’s worst enemy. (more…)

Water damage is a common problem for homeowners because so many sources of water can threaten your home. If ignored, water can lead to rotting materials that weaken the structure of the home. Moisture and rotting wood may also attract pests.

Mold and mildew may also start to grow, creating unpleasant odors, horrible stains, and unhealthy mold spores. Luckily, you have many ways you can defend your home from moisture. To learn more, check out these three tips for protecting your home from water damage.

1. Inspect Your Gutters

Without gutters, rainwater hitting the roof would run right off the edge of the house. This exposes the fascia and siding to more moisture than they should have to handle. The damage depends on the type of siding you have. Wood siding may start to rot, especially if you neglect to stain and protect the wood. Cement siding may experience divots where the water eroded the material. (more…)

Asphalt shingles are commonly used in commercial and residential roofing primarily because of durability. A new roof is a substantial investment for any home or business. Thus, it helps to think about the lifespan of potential roofing materials. Explore the benefits of asphalt shingles below.

Durability

Asphalt shingles are incredibly durable and last for about 15 to 30 years. Moreover, the roofing is resistant to many kinds of damage, which means you get value for your money. However, don’t get the cheapest shingles even if you’re on a tight budget. (more…)

You don’t have to use the same roofing material on your entire roof. You can use different roofing materials over the same house. In fact, some people consider mixing roofing materials trendy. Below are some of the benefits of and ideas for mixing roofing materials.

Benefits

Mixing roofing materials has multiple benefits. Below are some of them.

Curb Appeal (more…)

A roof replacement is a large project, but this is also an exciting time for your household. Replacing your roof comes with a few perks that many homeowners don’t initially expect. Discover four ways a roof replacement can benefit your home.

1. Roof Upgrades

Most people want their new roof to last as long as possible before another roof replacement is necessary. The material you choose for your new roof will have a bigger impact on its longevity and durability than any other factor. While you can get several decades out of common economical options like asphalt or wood shingles, you may never need another roof replacement with a long-lasting material like slate or clay. (more…)

Is your roof missing a single shingle? Even though a missing shingle or two may not seem like an issue you need to address immediately, take a look at what you need to know about replacement, timing, potential problems, and your roofing options.

Should You Replace One, Two, or a Few Shingles?

Pest attack or damage is possible with timber trusses. Some types of timber are resistant to some pets. Some wood treatments can also reduce the risk of pest resistance, though the treatments might fade over time and might require retreatment. However, no pest will attack or damage the steel. (more…)

A roof truss is a structural framework that provides support for the roof. Timber and steel are the most common materials for trusses. Many people use timber since it is relatively cheaper than steel. However, steel has several advantages that give it an edge over timber. Below are some of these advantages.

Pest Resistance

Pest attack or damage is possible with timber trusses. Some types of timber are resistant to some pets. Some wood treatments can also reduce the risk of pest resistance, though the treatments might fade over time and might require retreatment. However, no pest will attack or damage the steel. (more…)

The roof looks like one part of the house, but it comprises different parts and materials. All these parts are critical to the overall roof’s integrity, functionality, and durability. Understanding these different parts and their purposes can help you take care of your roof. Below are the critical parts or layers of an asphalt shingle roof.

Structure

The roof structure is the frame on which the other roofing materials rest. Roof structure includes things like: (more…)