The roof is an integral part of any house, as it keeps the elements out of your interior living space. In addition to this, it impacts the curb appeal of the property.
Despite its functional and aesthetic significance, the roof is the most forgotten part of the house.
In fact, many homeowners are guilty of thinking about their roof only when there’s a problem. It could be a leak, missing shingles, daylight coming through the roof boards, and other signs of roof damage that makes them give some attention to their roof.
A small problem on your roof could trigger many other issues, thereby hurting the structural integrity of the entire roof.
But what if you could nip all these roofing issues in the bud? You have to take care of the roof before problems start.
Read on for a guide to roof maintenance!
Arrange for Routine Roof Inspections
The roof may have been designed to last for years and years without needing to be repaired or replaced. This, however, doesn’t rid you of the responsibility of inspecting your roof on a regular basis.
Take into account factors like birds making their nests inside your roof or mites eating into your wooden beams and into your roof too. These are only two out of many scenarios that can lower the integrity of your roof.
By carrying out regular roof inspections, you are able to identify any problems before they cause extensive damage.
But how often should you have your roof inspected? Here’s a brief guide:
- If yours is a tile roof, it needs to be inspected once after every five years
- If you have installed an asphalt roof, a shingle roof or a composite roof, it should be thoroughly inspected once every three years
- Generally, roof basics demand that after 10 to 15 years of roof life, you should have it inspected by a roofing expert annually.
Note that the older your roof is, the more likely it is to give in to different external and internal elements. Getting your roof checked often means that you don’t have to spend too much on repairs or roof replacements if needed.
Keep All Your Roof Maintenance Records Properly
After 10 years of living in the same house, you may not recall details such as how many times your roof has been inspected and the exact date your roof was last inspected so well.
By writing down and updating details about roof restorations and any repairs or other works done over the years, you have comprehensive roofing records to refer to every time you need to find out details on the performance of your roof.
Inspect Your Roof Following Destructive Weather
Don’t be too quick to breathe a sigh of relief if your house still looks intact following a hurricane. Your walls and some parts of the house may visibly look fine but how sure are you that your roof didn’t get damaged?
The roof, more than any other part of your house, is your homes first line of defense during harsh weather. It is, therefore, the first part you should check up on after the hurricane, tornado or the storm is over.
Here’s a brief roof maintenance checklist guide in the event of harsh weather in your area:
How Are Your Shingles?
Instead of eyeballing your roof from afar, how about get a ladder and get up there yourself? You’ll get a chance to see your roof up close and easily identify whether or not there are some shingles out of place.
If you see broken shingles or notice that some of them are missing, take a little bit of wet cement and do some quick DIY repairs.
If however, you see that most of the shingles are curled, you should consider replacing them with new ones, with the help of a professional.
Curled shingles can compromise your roofs ability to stay waterproof.
Inspect Your Downspouts or Gutters
Here, you are looking to see if there’s too much debris, stones or accumulated dust inside the gutters.
If you find a significant amount of debris it means your roof took a beating during the harsh weather. This is a sign that you should get someone who’s experienced to take a closer look at the rest of your roof.
Look Out for Moisture Damage
You don’t have to wait until you see leaks inside your sealing to realize that there was moisture damage on your roof.
A roofing expert will tell you that water first collects and pools on different parts of a house roof long before you notice water dripping from the ceiling.
Having someone assess your roof after a storm means that you can catch and drain the pools of water before any extensive damage is done.
Clear the Debris Regularly
If you live in an area where there are lots of trees, you probably take time to sweep out all the fallen leaves and branches from your lawn or back yard. It is likely that your roof needs to be cleared of all the debris too.
When too many branches, leaves or sticks and sometimes snow, accumulate on top of your roof, they can weigh it down. This can make the roof so weak to the point of caving in and thereafter needing total replacement.
By doing these routine clearing activities on your roof, you maintain the overall integrity of your roof and also extend its life.
Check Your Roofing Metal and Masonry Works
The roof of your house is largely made of shingles, for example, but more to this is masonry and metal works that serve to hold it in place on top of the house.
Metal and masonry works are just as likely to succumb to damaging factors as the rest of your roof. That said, you will want to make sure that as you inspect your roof, you also remember to make sure that the metals and masonry works are intact.
Focus areas here should be your chimney and your vents. Make sure that there are no cracks, no rust or corrosion or signs of damage from birds and other types of animals.
Do You Really Need a Reliable Roof Maintenance Professional?
It is evident that inspecting and maintaining a roof is not as easy as it sounds. This is why you need an experienced person nearby to help you make sure that your roof is doing fine and in the same breath save you lots of money.
Contact us for all things roof maintenance and let us give you the peace of mind you deserve by taking proper care of your roof.
The post Home Health 101: Your Complete Guide to Roof Maintenance appeared first on TC Backer Construction.