New Year Roof Resolutions for NJ and NY Homes

By Heidi Gabryszewska | December 29, 2025
A snowy New Jersey roof with soft holiday lights and a clean ridge line

Before the ball drops, give your roof a quick tune up so winter storms are a non event. This simple checklist protects your home, helps prevent ice dams, and sets you up for a clean start to the new year. Light and easy to follow, and every tip comes from real jobs we do in our area.

Quick wins before midnight

  • Do a ground scan with your camera zoom or binoculars. Look for missing or lifted shingles, loose ridge pieces, or anything that looks out of place.

  • Clear leaves and sticks from the lower roof and from valleys. A soft brush or blower is safer than pressure washing.

  • Clean gutters and flush downspouts. Make sure water exits a few feet from the foundation.

  • Trim small twigs that touch the roof. If a limb needs a saw, call a pro. Roof plus saw is not a safe combo.

  • Check that holiday light clips are not under shingles. Clips should sit on the fascia or gutter lip only.

After a snowfall

  • Keep the lower two or three feet of roof edge clear with a roof rake if you have one. Work from the ground. Do not climb on a snowy roof.

  • Watch for heavy icicles at the eaves. That is a sign of heat loss and poor attic airflow.

  • Look in the attic for damp insulation or frosty nails. That points to warm indoor air leaking into cold spaces.

Attic check in five minutes

  • Pop the attic hatch and take a flashlight. The space should feel close to outdoor temperature in winter. Warm and stuffy means poor airflow.

  • Look for daylight where it should not be, water staining on the sheathing, or dark streaks around nails. Take a photo to compare later.

  • Confirm you can see baffles at the eaves. Baffles keep soffit intake open so ridge exhaust can do its job.

  • Insulation should be even, fluffy, and dry. Flat or wet spots need attention.

Fun holiday spot check

Did Santa leave footprints. Just kidding. Do look for disturbed snow lines or anything unusual near the chimney and skylights. A quick glance can catch a small issue before the next storm turns it into a ceiling stain.

Small trouble signs to watch

  • Brown rings on ceilings near exterior walls

  • Musty smells in an upstairs closet or hallway

  • Shingle grit piling up in gutters after wind or rain

  • Recurring icicles at the same section of eave

Why a full roof replacement is sometimes the cleanest move

Some roofs are at the end of service life. Widespread wear, brittle shingles, soft decking at the eaves, and blocked attic airflow are all signs. When it is time, a complete system brings the house back to a healthy baseline. We design balanced intake and ridge exhaust, rebuild flashings, install leak barrier at eaves and valleys, and fasten shingles with a six nail pattern. As a GAF Master Elite contractor we can discuss Golden Pledge options on eligible projects.

Your New Year action plan

  • Walk the exterior and attic once this week and snap photos

  • Clean gutters and clear the first few feet of roof edge after each snow

  • Note any stains or musty spots so you can see if they grow

  • Set a free roof and attic evaluation with our team

Service areas

We help homeowners across New Jersey and New York including Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Morris, and Hudson counties in NJ and Westchester and Rockland in NY.

Start the year with a quiet, dry home. Free inspections and estimates seven days a week.
Phone: (973) 333 6364
Email: sales@donnysroofing.com
Web: www.donnysroofing.com

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