Hurricane season in North Carolina hits toward the end of August and through September, but storms can happen any time of year. Your home’s roof may not be on your mind 24/7, but there are many easy ways you can keep it in shape without too much hassle. These 10 tips can help prevent roof leaks during North Carolina’s rainy season.
1. Regularly Clean Your Roof
Keeping your rooftop clean can play a key role in preventing roof leaks during the state’s rainy season. Debris such as dust and leaves can accumulate on your rooftop over time. That debris can damage your roof on its own, but even worse is if you leave it up there. Over time, debris can trap moisture against your roof, which can promote rot and other issues that can lead to larger and larger leaks. Depending on the materials used on your roof, you should clean it every six months to one year or when you see debris on it.
2. Schedule Annual Inspections
You can also prevent water leaks during the rainy months in North Carolina by scheduling an annual roof inspection. An experienced inspector will examine the structural integrity of your roof and determine if you should replace any part of it.
Your inspector will look for organic growth, such as algae or mildew, that can weaken your shingles and cause them to develop holes or cracks. The inspector will also examine the roof’s craftsmanship, wear and tear and any damage from windblown debris. You can use the information from the inspector to determine how best to repair your roof so it will not leak water once the rainy season starts.
3. Keep the Gutters and Downspouts Clean
The gutters and downspout play a key role in your roof’s integrity and function. They ensure water drains off the roof and away from your house.
However, they can easily become clogged from debris like birds’ nests, dirt, dust and leaves. Sticks, pine needles, sap and acorns can also clog your gutters and your home’s downspout, preventing them from draining water properly. As a general rule of thumb, you should clean out your gutters at least twice a year.
4. Trim Overhanging Branches
Tree branches that extend over your roof can pose a hazard to your roof. For one, leaves that collect on your roof can cause all the same problems as we mentioned general debris can. Plus, those leaves can get into your gutters and the downspout, causing large clogs. These clogs then prevent water from flowing down the gutters and your downspout. In turn, the water pools on your roof, which can weaken your roofing materials and eventually cause leaks.
For another, wind can force the branches to scrape against your roof. Strong winds may even make the branches collide with your roof with enough force to cause damage, and if those branches break off, that can lead to further damage.
5. Seal Your Roofing Features
Preventing leaks on your roof can require you to maintain the seal on it. Some areas that you should pay particular attention to include:
- Vents
- Spaces around the chimney
- Skylights
- Valleys
- Roof edges
- Pipes
6. Use Gutter Guards
Gutter guards also prove effective for mitigating the risk of roof leaks. Gutter guards fit over the top of your gutters and act as a filter to keep debris like leaves and sticks out of them.
They can improve water flow off your roof, prevent pests like beetles and spiders from getting in your gutters and also stop birds from building nests in them. They can also save you time and money in keeping your gutters clean and roof clean and preventing damage that causes leaks. Depending on the material they are made from, they can last between 10 and 20 years.
7. Repair Minor Damages
Before the rainy season starts in North Carolina, you should look for any minor roof damage and have a professional address it. Some of the damages you should repair include:
- Loose or missing roofing nails
- Broken shingles
- Displaced flashing
- Cracks and gaps in pipe boots
- Hail damage
Failing to fix minor damage could result in it becoming more significant and costly to repair. It can also cause leaks in your roof and put your home at risk of water damage.
8. Replace Missing Roofing Materials
A roofing service can also replace missing materials on your rooftop. During the year, materials like shingles and flashing can loosen and blow off during high winds. Missing materials leave your rooftop exposed to the elements and put your home at risk of water damage. Before the start of the rainy season, you should make sure all of your home’s roof remains fully covered.
9. Use Waterproof Materials
When you repair or replace your roof, you should use waterproof materials to minimize the risk of leaks. Waterproof roofing materials include:
- PVC membrane
- Rubberized asphalt
- Thermoplastic
- Cementitious coating
- Silicone
- Polyurethane
10. Ensure Proper Attic Ventilation
Keeping your home’s attic properly ventilated can also go a long way in preventing leaks in your roof. It prevents moisture buildup in your attic. Moisture from your attic can weaken the structure of your roof and cause leaks.
Properly ventilating your attic can call for you to install and use ridge and gable vents that allow hot air to escape and encourage the circulation of cool air. You can also use attic fans, particularly during the summer, to pull hot air out of the attic.
Insulating your roof likewise helps prevent moisture buildup in this part of your house. You should also regularly inspect the vents to look for and remove blockages from insulation, birds’ nests or other debris.
Let Our Roofing Company Assist with Preventing Roof Leaks
At Blue Fox Roofing & Renovations, we incorporate values like depth, trust, sincerity and loyalty into the roofing services we provide our customers in the Charlotte service area. These values allow us to treat our customers like friends and encourage them to trust us whenever they need roofing repairs, inspections, maintenance and other professional roofing services. We also use intuitive resources whenever we work on people’s roofs. Our team strives to use a serious and clever approach as we carry out services designed to prevent your roof from leaking.
Our resourcefulness and commitment to quality helped us earn the NextDoor Neighborhood Fave award in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The blueprint our company uses sets us apart from our competition and other fly-by-night roofing companies. As a family-owned business, we have 30 years of roofing industry experience. Our business serves the area as a Certified Select ShingleMaster and Certainteed provider. We also have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Our team at Blue Fox Roofing & Renovations offers the roofing services you need to prevent roof leaks during North Carolina’s rainy season. Contact us to learn more about our storm damage services!
