While many know that the roof is the first line of protection against severe weather, it is less commonly known the materials that go into the entire roofing system. Maybe you’ve never heard of WinterGuard, but you should know, it’s doing a lot work to protect your home every day, especially in colder regions like Michigan. We know winter months can be brutal in Michigan, so we wanted to share some info with you about an underlayment called WinterGuard. It is a key player in the make up of the CertainTeed Integrity Roof System, which is comprised of underlayment, shingles, ventilation and more, all working together to prevent ice dams, trapped water, and loss of shingles.
What it’s made of
Essentially, WinterGuard waterproof underlayment is material that is made of asphalt polymers and then rolled in a sheet for use. The polymers in the material make the asphalt elastic and sticky and causes the underlayment to become vapor-tight. The underlayment is able to seal and stretch around nails that are driven through it and it is a strong layer of protection on your home.
From there, we would use a water-resistant underlayment, start shingles, roof shingles, hip & ridge caps, and roof ventilation to complete the CertainTeed Integrity Roof System package.
Protection
You may be wondering, how does WinterGuard specifically work well in the winter months? Well, as you know, we have days of heavy snowstorms and days of warmer weather. When the snow melts on your roof, the first layer of waterproof underlayment helps avoid water penetration in your roof’s most valuable places. The biggest fear in the winter for roofs: ice dams. You can learn more about these in our article, but just know, they are essentially build-ups of ice that result in trapped water. You never want that on a home.
Overall, roofs are designed to withstand weather, and even severe weather in most cases, however, as one of our professionals today what the benefits of WinterGuard is and see if it is something you should have on your home.
