Can My Roof Hold Santa & His Sleigh?

While elves are busy making toys for good little girls and boys, your children might have some concerns about the logistics of Santa delivering their presents on Christmas Eve. After all, there are a lot of houses and children to visit in just a few hours, so the smoother the landing zone, the better! We thought we’d help you put your child’s mind at ease about your house being Santa-ready – specifically about making sure your roof is ready to hold Santa, his sleigh, and his eight tiny reindeer.

First, let’s set the scene. According to The Telegraph, Santa’s sleigh weighs more than 2 million tons, once loaded down with toys. He also travels about 1,800 miles every second, so the time he spends on your roof will be over with the twinkling of an eye. Still, that roof better be ready!

To ensure a successful landing and departure, here’s a roof maintenance checklist:

• Do a quick scan of your roof and framing.
  • Are there any missing or popped shingles?
  • Are there any areas that are sagging or uneven that might need a closer look from a professional? 
• Check that chimney! (After all … Santa has to have a way to make his grand entrance!)
  • Are there any cracks in the mortar?
  • Bricks out of place, needing some tuck-pointing?
  • Not related to the exterior … but this is a good time to be thinking about if that chimney needs a good cleaning, too!
• Check your gutters.
  • Remove any leaves, branches, or other debris that might be clogging the gutters.
  • Ensure gutters are properly attached to the roof line.
    

Also, monitor your roof for ice dams as they may indicate a bigger problem. Typically, ice dams are caused by ventilation and insulation issues. For example, warm air coming up from the attic through a poorly insulated roof can cause snow to melt, then that water freezes in cooler, better-insulated points. Ice dams can greatly weigh on your roof and gutters. In fact, in extreme cases, water frozen in clogged gutters can weigh them down so much they break free from the house and crash to the ground, sometimes causing property damage in the process. Plus, all this water has to have somewhere to go – meaning you could help up with water leaks inside your home. Moral of the story: if you have ice dams, try to pinpoint the cause – and call a restoration or roofing company for help!

If you find there are problems with any of these areas! Give us a call! We have special tools and technology that can help pinpoint any insulation problems, water leaks, etc., to get your roof … and home … in tip top shape for Santa’s arrival!

Water Damage Cleanup Services

This holiday season if you encounter water damage from a frozen pipe, ice dams, or other water loss call us immediately for water damage clean up service and water damage restoration service. The faster you respond, the less damage you incur. Our emergency water and sewage restoration response team is ready and waiting 24/7. 

A&J Property Restoration provides 24/7 emergency water, fire, mold, and sewage services for homes, businesses, and commercial buildings around Madison, Middleton, Sun Prairie, Waunakee, Portage, Milwaukee, Brookfield, WI Dells, Fort Atkinson, Watertown, Oconomowoc, Waukesha, West Allis, and surrounding Dane County Wisconsin areas.