Storm Proofing: Prepare Your Roof Before Major Storms Hit Tampa, Florida

Have you heard the news? Natural disasters, extreme weather, and other unpredictable nature-based events can happen at any time. Just recently Hurricane Ida has left many states in shambles, destroying roofs and houses all around the gulf coast region. Though it’s scary to even think about it, there is one thing we should always do: prepare our roof for them!

Preparing your roof for nature’s wrath sounds like a daunting task, and it can be ( this is why we are here to help you). But there are some really easy and cheap things you can do on your own!

Best of all, many of these tasks can be performed before a big storm strike. We commonly call this “storm-proofing” your roof (but that doesn’t mean the roof won’t get any damage).

So what should we do for storm-proofing?

Here’s the list:

#1 Check for loose or missing shingles. No matter what your roof is made of, it has to have a good and tight base – if the upper layer isn’t secured well, it will be damaged by wind.

#2 Clean debris from gutters. If you don’t clean them regularly, leaves and other stuff will clog them to a point where water can’t flow through at all. When this happens, you are not only in danger of leaking problems but also moisture trapping which may cause damage to shingles! Again – make sure that the ladder is stable before climbing on it!

#3 Install tarp above the roof. Tarps are very cheap, available almost anywhere, and will help to keep shingles in place in emergencies. You can use either one piece of tarp, or several smaller ones which are easier to handle.

#4 Straighten up shingles. If there is any damage on the roof – broken, damaged, bent, or lifted nails – it should be fixed immediately! A good way to check for this is to pull out the individual pieces (or rows of shingles). If they don’t slide back easily, chances are that some nails got loose.

#5 Fill holes! Once again – no matter your roof type (shingle, metal, wood, etc) water will get through every crack! Use filler material to plug any holes or other uneven spots.

#6 Fill gaps! Around the chimney, skylights, trees, antennas– all these are potential sources of water leaks. To prevent them – cover them with some sort of gasket made from rubber sheeting.

#7 Check for stains. Water leaking through cracks will damage underlayment and accumulate in places that are difficult to reach or see without proper equipment. It’s hard to tell if water stain is dangerous by just looking at it – so check everything carefully before doing any repairs. Keep in mind that damaged underlayment can be a signal of a much bigger problem that may need professional help to fix!

#8 Replace your shingles. If everything listed above didn’t fix your problem, then just replace the shingles which are damaged. They are available at almost every hardware store and if you have our professional roofers on your side – it will be a piece of cake!

We hope this guide will help you prepare your roof, however, if you are facing trouble contact the experts at SouthShore Roofing & Exteriors. We can help you repair your roof before the storm hits. Our experts will be there to do minor repairs to major fixing.

Stay safe and don’t forget: preparing your roof in advance doesn’t guarantee 100% protection, but it will reduce the risk of having costly damages. Happy storm-proofing!