In Lafayette, Louisiana you might not think you have to prepare your roof for winter months.  However, even though our winters here are more mild than others, the cold can adversely affect your roof and even the interior of your home.

Condensation

One of the more common winter roof issues for Lafayette is condensation.  When the temperature outside turns cold, we turn the heaters on inside our homes.  The heated air will rise to the attic and without ventilation it will stay there.  When the warm air reaches the cold surface, condensation will form.  The moisture inside the attic can cause mildew and mold to form.  The best thing to prevent this from happening is having proper insulation and ventilation installed in your attic.  Ventilation allows the warm air to flow out, reducing the amount of warm air that comes into contact with your cold roof.  To see if you have enough ventilation for your attic, take a trip up when the weather turns cold and look for condensation or accumulating moisture. Make sure existing vents are open and clean.   If your vents are clean and open and you are still experiencing condensation adding more vents to your roof may be necessary.

Winter Storm Winds

Louisiana winters tend to follow a pattern.  Cold days followed by warmer days, then rain and the cycle repeats.  Since storms are common in winter and with storms come wind, it's a good idea to check for leaks after such an event.  Shingles can come up, and heavy winds can blow moisture into roof vents.

Critters

When the weather is cold and wet, creatures will try to find a place that is dry and warm.  If your roof or home has a way in, a creature can find it.  If it's not big enough, a squirrel or rat can easily gnaw its way in.  Since Louisiana is full of small critters, and the rains and indecisive weather patterns can make it miserable even for them, having your roofing company in Lafayette come check for evidence of burrowing can prevent headaches down the road.

Flashing Leaks

Flashing is the aluminum pieces that surround your roof's edge, chimney, or vents.  Flashing is used to prevent moisture from making its way in where roofing meets an exposed subsurface.  It is affected by other common winter roof issues in Lafayette such as storm winds and the freeze/thaw process.  Flashing should be checked for leaks on a regular basis, usually before winter and summer, to make sure everything is in good shape.