What should be on “Winterizing Your Home” Checklist?

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Winterizing your Home and Checking it Twice!

Up on the rooftop.. ho ho ho! Here is Santa’s checklist for winterizing your home:

Winterize your home checklist

Winterizing your home can be a daunting checklist. Here is a step by step guide of what you need to do or just ask Santa to have Lundberg Specialty in Charlotte, NC come do the checklist for you. Lundberg Specialty is an exterior contractor that specializes in replacement and repairs of roofing, windows, gutters and siding.

  1. Caulk windows – Check for leaks around windows and doors, especially near the corners. Notice pealing paint and discolorations in paint or caulking as they are a sign of water getting into the wood. Swelling in windows or door frames is another red flag.
  2. Morter windows – On brick windowsills, over time, the cement morter will crack and cause windowsills to leak into wall cavity.
  3. Apply Weatherstripping – around drafty doors and windows. If windows are well past their prime, consider replacing windows with energy-efficient double pane windows.
  4. Roofing Pipes – Plumbing pipe collars can dry out and crack. Seal to prevent water intrusion.
  5. Missing Shingles – Storms come through and loosen shingles.  While checking the roof pipes, check those shingles and replace. Sometimes you may find the shingles in the yard, where they have been blown down. Replace missing or damaged shingles promptly before damaging moisture can build up.
  6. Gutter Cleaning – When gutters back up and overflow, water seeps under the shingles and begins its insidious work on vulnerable materials. Keeping your gutters clear can greatly extend the life of your roof.  Clean and inspect gutters at least once a year, depending on how many trees are nearby. Gutters are functional only if they are cleaned and clear of debris.
  7. Downspouts Emptied – To keep water away from the foundation, empty downspouts at least 2 feet away. Make sure the ground slopes away from the house to keep water from pooling around the foundation.
  8. Foundation check – Foundation repairs can be disruptive and expensive. Inspect the area for cracks or holes in the foundation walls and seal them promptly.
  9. Rotted Wood – Over time, wood is going to rot, but you can keep it down by caulking corners and cracks and keeping gutters cleaned.  Replace rotted wood as soon as you see it, because it can effect your foundation and framing.  Did you know that rotted wood is not covered by your homeowners insurance?

So, this winter, don’t be caught by the scrooge in getting your home winterization projects complete.  Taking care of winterizing your home with these simple steps will keep you and your home safe from major repairs- saving you money in utilities and repair costs.

Roof Leaking - Lundberg-Specialty Roofing

Roof Leaking! Absolutely Positive?

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Roof leaking! Are you absolutely positive?

As a Charlotte roof contractor, we tell you how you might figure out if you have a roof leak or not and where to find the source. Follow the water to find a roof leak when you are trying to find its’ source.  Many times, where the roof is leaking may not be where it originates.  You may even consider, thinking backward, because as you know, water flows down. While carefully stepping on the rafters in the attic, use a bright flashlight, starting above the leaking area and head upward along the rafters and framework to look for drips, water marks or stains.  If no luck, steady yourself and try turning the flashlight off to see where daylight may show through the roof. You might even get quiet as a mouse and listen for the water dripping.

Roof leaking typically happens from:

cracked pipe boot roof leaking lundberg specialty roofing

  • Worn, loose, rotted or missing shingles often happens when nails have worked loose or when the shingles break down to age.
  • Poorly sealed roof flashing around vents, skylights or chimney’s.
  • Cracks around plumbing vent. Most vents are enclosed by a rubber boot, but eventually the exposure to sun will break down the rubber and cause cracks..

No outside roof leaking? How about improper ventilation?

roof leaking absolutely positive lundberg specialty

 

Strangely enough, if there has been no recent rain and the temperatures have been on the upside, then it could be a roof ventilation problem, instead of roof leaking.  Like people, a roof can get hot, resulting in sweat and smells. Does your attic smell musty? Improper roof ventilation can lead to musty smells and for some roof types, could even lead to a voided warranty. Today, roof ventilation in the attic is required by most building codes. There is even a standard calculation of how much ventilation you need.  To find out more about the calculations look at the National Roofing Contractors Association or contact your local municipality to check on the building code. Basically, intake vents allow the outside air to enter an attic space, outtake vents allow air to exit and insulation acts as a vapor barrier.

Why is good circulation in your attic so important?

Vented Ridge Cap lundberg specialty roof leaking

Good circulation of air is important during the winter and summer months.  Seems like a contradiction, right? In summers and cold wet winters, warm air and moisture builds up in the attic and greatly reduces the effectiveness of insulation. Ridge vents coupled with soffit vents do more for the ventilation of your attic than any other ventilation options. As air heats your attic, the warm rises, which in turn pulls fresh cooler air from the soffit vents causing the hot air to escape through the ridge vent. This greatly reduces the overall temperature of your attic, thus reducing the temperature of your home, which ultimately reduces your energy bills! If you have the old turbine vent, you may want to upgrade to the vented ridges because turbines loose their effectiveness or quit working over time and can also cause rain to get in at the entry point.

Finding out about a roof leaking is not for the faint of heart..

roofing accidents - hire a professional at lundberg specialty roofing

There are more roofing accidents probably then any other do-it-yourself type job. More often, then not, falling on your back is the most common injury and can cause you problems for the rest of your life.  A little investigation of where the roof leaking might occur in the attic is one thing, but getting on top of a roof to look for the leak or to try to repair it is risky business.  Putting a bucket under the water leak should be good enough, until you can call Lundberg Specialty to verify your leaking roof.  Bonus: you won’t get hurt, you will get the right repair type and if you need some ventilation, they will do all the calculations needed to get just the right amount to fix it correctly.  It is a lot more technical then one would think. So my advice, follow the water to find the leak, inside your house, but let the pro’s take it from there!

gaf cobra vent lundberg specialty roof leaking

Here is more about Lundberg Specialty Residential Roofing and  Lundberg Specialty Commercial Roofing.  Also, Lundberg Specialty is certified as a GAF Master Select Roofing Contractor. Checkout the GAF Cobra Attic Ventilation– effective ventilation for the long haul. Link to Lundberg Contact Page.