Your home’s greatest enemy, entrenched in battle since the dawn of time: weather. Extreme heat and heavy rain have been battering everyone and everything here in Western Mass. We thought a lot about what to write this Best Roof Tips blog on and landed weather. The biggest victims recently have been our homes, so today, we’re going to give out some of the secret sauce from the best roofers near you! Here’s to hopes of giving your home the upper hand against this crazy weather. We’ll split this into two categories: rain and heat.
HEAT:
Choosing Lighter Colored Shingles
- This will help reflect more light from the sun and in turn they cool down your home. This can save you up to nearly 40% in energy costs trying to cool your home from the inside! But if you are determined to keep that classic dark look, one of our most trusted vendors, CertainTeed, has shingles with special technology allowing you to use darker shaded colors while still getting the money saving benefits of lighter shades. Learn more about the Landmark Solaris and the Presidential Solaris shingles here!
Using Light Filtering Film on Windows
- When sun hits a window, about 76% of it enters your home, turning into heat. Luckily you can get reflective window film. This will help block UV rays as well as up to 99% of solar heat. If you have a skylight, no worries, our partner, Velux, has the availability to get stylish window shades and light filters on all of their skylight models.
Insulation (it works both ways!)
- When we think about our home’s insulation, we typically think about keeping the heat inside to stay warm. We often forget that insulation works both ways! Yes, in the winter it helps keep that much needed heat inside your home, but in the summer when temperatures rise, it keeps the heat out and that cool air conditioned air inside.
RAIN:
Get Your Roof Inspected
- While your roof is rated to last 20 years, weather like heavy rain and wind can cause damage. Shingles can come loose allowing leaks to get through, while tree branches and debris can create holes in your roof, leading to water damage.
Clean Gutters
- Having a buildup of leaves and dirt can lead to water overflow causing strain and damage to your gutter system. The easiest solution? Xtreme Gutter Guard from Leaf Solution, the stainless steel mesh keeps debris out of your gutters while allowing rain to run through with no problem. The best part, Dave Miner Exterior Home Improvements installs them!
Check Your Window Seals
- Don’t wait for a window leak, make sure you check your weatherstripping and seals around your windows and doors. Prevention is key.
Both:
Call The Best Roofing Team
- Call Dave Miner Exterior Home Improvements for any of your roofing, siding or skylight needs! We’ll make sure the job is done right and for the best prices around, give us a phone call or click right here to get in touch!
We hope some of these tips and tricks help your home stay in tip-top shape through the rest of the summer. If you have a home improvement project on the horizon, get in touch with the best roofing team in the area! Click HERE to get your free quote. Thanks for reading and check back soon for more skylight, roofing and home improvement tips and tricks!