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The Basics of Roof Maintenance
Every year, millions of people need roof maintenance. Notably, it has either reached the end of its lifespan or the last storm has damaged it. Most important, whether you have a slate roof, flat roof, or an asphalt shingles roof, these tips will help you keep your roof longer.
For Proper Roof Maintenance Be Sure To Check Your Shingles Regularly For Any Red Flags
So, how do you maintain a roof and keep the roof costs low? Well, the first step is to check on it as often as possible.
First, check in the attic for any stains. With this in mind, common signs of leakage include musty odoors in certain rooms, spots on your outside walls, and bulging patches on your walls. Indeed, this may signal water leaks caused by a roof maintenance issue. In short, call a professional for roof maintenance water leak issues.
Remember, if you have a roof maintenance issue, call as soon as you can. Otherwise, you can pay more for your roof than you expect to pay in the long run.
After this, check for missing shingles, curling, cracked, lifted, or loose shingles. Indeed, these are signs of damage that require roof maintenance. Also, look for additional signs of roof wear and tear. For instance, peeling flashing, missing granules, signs of moss or mold, worn spots, and loose nail pops.
If serious signs of wear and tear are present, roof maintenance may be necessary. In fact, some common forms of roof maintenance can be done at home. For instance, you can replace a loose shingle or apply adhesive to flashing.
If your roof is in the early stages of its lifespan and you notice shingles are peeling or curling, then you may have a vent problem. However, if you are seeing a lot of peeling, curling, and lifting, your roof may be at the end of its life. If so, roofing replacement, not roof maintenance, is required.
Proper Roof Maintenance Requires Clean Gutters, Soffits, Fascia, and Downspouts
Though it’s a dirty job, cleaning out your gutters, soffits, fascia, and downspouts is an essential part of maintaining your roof. Thus, most experts suggest cleaning them out twice a year, once in late spring and again in early fall. In other words, make it a part of your yearly routine. However, you must make sure you do it correctly.
First, make sure you are scooping debris from gutters and downspouts. Next, use a soft-bristle brush to wipe away any dirt or grime. With this in mind, you can also consider washing the areas with your garden hose to make the process easier.
Then inspect for any missing caulk, cracks, holes, or signs of rot. Plus, look for any missing sections of gutter that need to be replaced. After all, missing or broken gutter hardware can lead to leaks. Therefore, make all replacements and repairs immediately.
Roof maintenance, if not done properly, can be unsafe. Indeed, always be conscious of your body’s positioning while you’re performing roof maintenance. In fact, leaning your body on your gutters is one of the common causes of water infiltration.
Titan construction is a GAF certified roofing contractor. If you need assistance cleaning your gutters, give us a call. In fact, we provide free a roof inspection after hailstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes. If damage is detected, we will provide you with a free estimate.
Patch Up Your Chimney, Skylights, And Vent Openings
While doing roof maintenance, make sure you check your chimney for cracks, missing bricks, or missing mortar. Remember, these are portals of water entry.
Indeed, checking the interior of the fireplace for cracks is not easy. However, if you attempt to do these minor repairs alone, here are some steps you can follow.
First, clear out your fireplace. Use a small bucket of soap and water to rinse the interior of the fireplace. Second, open the flue so you can see up your chimney.
Next, place a blanket on the floor and use a flashlight to inspect the interior of the chimney. If you find cracking, mold, or mildew in the chimney, you may need to replace the chimney lining.
Remember to pay close attention to the chimney’s alignment. In fact, a sloping or leaning chimney can cause bricks to fall out, damaging your roof. Most importantly, if you have not done the proper maintenance on your chimney, brick damage can lead to water infiltration.
Finally, do a roundup of all vent outlets and skylights. You want to look for any signs of water damage or mold.
Get Professional Roof Maintenance Inspections
All things considered, you can hire someone to do a roof inspection twice a year. Indeed, finding any roof problems early can save you from problems in the future. Additionally, if you call a professional roofer in for roof maintenance, make sure they check the flashing and field of your roof.
Notably, a large amount of leaks form in the roof flashings. Flashings are placed under the shingles to divert water from getting under your roof. To explain, flashings can be found by skylights, perimeters, walls, and drains. Due to their placement on the roof and the angle of roof pitch your roof might have, flashings are likely to be the source of leaks.
Likewise, the field of a roof is the flat portion of the roof where the shingles are placed. Indeed, fields are likely to be damaged by surface water or other forms of wear and tear. In any event, a roof maintenance expert can detect any problems forming on the field of a roof.
In summary, it is a good idea to hire a roof maintenance expert because they know how to maintain a roof. Generally speaking, they will be able to spot a problem about a roof you may miss during a self-inspection. Plus, they will have the right roofing materials to help you with any need.
As stated, Titan construction can handle these type of roof checks. In fact, Titan offers free inspections and first estimates.
Watch Out For Debris And Overhanging Branches
Unfortunately, branches, leaves, and other debris can land on your roof. As a result, mold, moss, and moisture can age and start to rot overtime. By the same token, this adds weight your house, which can create a sagging roof. Therefore, this type of debris should be cleaned regularly.
Firstly, you should never clean debris alone. If you clean the debris on your roof, then you should have a spotter on the ground. Indeed, a spotter can help secure your balance with a latter and improve safety measures.
Secondly, it is smart to clean your roof on a clear, sunny, dry day. Notably, this will help prevent slips and improve your sight. Also, you will be able to clean all of the roof and not miss any hard to see spots.
Equally important, be cautious of tree branches around your roof. Low hanging branches can cause huge damage to a roof during storms. Consequently, it is helpful to cut any branches that hang over your roof, even if they do not seem like a problem. All in all, this will prevent storm damage.
Plus, debris from branches can pile on your shingles and absorb excess water. In effect, this can rot your roof. It is definitely a good idea to take care of branches like this before they cause damage.
In addition, checking for debris gives you time to check your roof for any other kinds of damage. As stated above, taking care of roofing damages early helps prevent roof repair costs and save money.
Maintaining Your Roof
Overall, keeping your roof clean can seem like one of the hardest tasks in home improvement. However, it is not an impossible task, and you don’t need a roofing company to do it. You don’t need to be in commercial roofing or know how to do a complex type of repair to have a great roof. With the right knowledge, cleaning your roof can be easy and can lower big roof maintenance costs.
