The “Freeze Deadline” is Approaching. Is Your Roof Ready?
In Central Illinois, we have a small window of perfect weather between the humidity of August and the first hard freeze of November. This is “Roofing Season”—the critical time to perform a fall roof inspection.
Why the rush? It comes down to chemistry. Most roofing sealants and asphalt shingles become brittle and difficult to work with once temperatures drop below 40°F. If you wait until December to fix a loose shingle, the repair might not bond correctly.
Don’t get caught in the cold. Use this expert checklist to ensure your home is ready for the weight of winter snow.
1. The “Critter Check” (Crucial for Peoria)
As the harvest ends, field mice, squirrels, and raccoons look for a warm place to nest. Your attic is their #1 target.
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What to look for: Inspect your fascia boards and soffits (the underside of your roof overhang). Look for gnaw marks, holes, or loose panels.
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The Risk: A squirrel can chew a hole in your roof in less than an hour, creating a direct entry point for water and snow.
2. Clean the “Dams” (Gutters)
You know you need to clean the leaves, but do you know why? It is not just about overflow. In winter, clogged gutters turn into solid blocks of ice. This heavy ice pulls the gutters away from the fascia, rotting the wood.
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The Fix: clear 100% of the debris. Then, run a hose to ensure the downspouts aren’t clogged internally. If water backs up, you have a blockage underground or in the elbow.
3. Check the “Boot” (Plumbing Vents)
This is the most common leak we find in Peoria. Your plumbing vent is the pipe sticking out of your roof. It is sealed with a rubber “boot.”
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The Problem: The hot Illinois summer sun cooks this rubber, causing it to crack and dry rot.
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The Inspection: You can often see this from a ladder at the gutter line. If the rubber looks cracked or torn, it must be replaced before the snow sits on it.
4. The Shingle Seal Test
Wind from spring storms may have lifted your shingles, breaking the adhesive seal.
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The Test: (Professional Only) We gently lift the edge of random shingles to see if they are still stuck down.
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The Risk: If the seal is broken, the next winter blizzard will blow snow under the shingle. When that snow melts, it leaks directly into your attic.
5. Attic Ventilation Assessment
A fall roof inspection isn’t just about the outside. Go into your attic.
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Check the Intake: Look at the vents in your eaves (soffit vents). Are they blocked by insulation?
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Why it matters: If your attic can’t “breathe” in winter, warm moist air from your house will trap inside and condense on the cold roof nails. This “attic sweat” drips onto your insulation, causing mold and ruining the R-value.
Don’t Climb the Ladder Yourself
Fall leaves are slippery, and roof inspections can be dangerous. At SNS Roofing, we offer free residential roofing inspections. We act fast to catch minor issues—like a cracked pipe boot or loose flashing—before the temperature drops and repairs become difficult.
Beat the freeze. Contact SNS Roofing today to schedule your comprehensive fall inspection before the first snow hits Central Illinois.
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