If you are not keeping your roof maintained, you may be setting yourself up. Why? Because you may lose money over time due to the widespread damage caused from not maintaining your roof.
That’s why you should regularly check it for issues. But what tasks should you do?
Read through this guide to learn various roof maintenance tips. These recommendations will help you increase your roof’s lifespan and determine whether you need a replacement.
You will want to either hire a professional to inspect your roof—or do it yourself—at least twice a year. We recommend checking your roofing system for issues during the spring and fall seasons and after any type of severe weather.
Throughout this section, we will cover various tips to help you keep your roof in the best shape possible. We will also recommend whether you can do certain tasks yourself, or if you should contact a roofing specialist.
When clearing debris from your roof and gutters, you achieve 2 tasks. You prevent water blockage and have a clear view on if there are any issues with your roof. For example, when cleaning your gutters, if you notice a significant number of shingle granules, that’s a bad sign.
In that scenario, your shingles are telling you that they have lost many of their granules. Without their granules, the shingles become susceptible to UV damage. This type of damage will cause your shingles to crack, which will allow water to seep through them and into your home.
You don’t need to outsource this task to a contractor. Unless you find yourself short on time or are not comfortable getting up on your roof. to install shingles.
Shingles serve as your home’s shield against water and high electricity bills. If they have any damage, then you will want to replace them immediately. Here are some signs to keep an eye out for when inspecting your shingles:
You will want to check your shingles after experiencing high winds or storms. Because they could have cracked or peeled due to the elements.
You can check for these issues yourself by using binoculars. However, we recommend using a ladder to climb up your roof and inspect your shingles up-close. That way, you can see more details.
If you find any issues with your shingles, then your roofing system may have more problems than you can see. You will want to contact a specialist to inspect your roof underlayment for damage.
While you make your way around your roof and check your shingles, inspect your chimney. Check it for missing mortar or cracks. If your chimney is not maintained it can allow water in which may present as a roof leak when in fact it is a chimney issue.
You will also want to pay attention to whether you have a leaning or sloping chimney. This abnormality is a sign that there’s an underlying issue with your home’s foundation.
Unless you know how to repair chimneys, we recommend hiring a specialist to come to your home and patch your chimney.
Leakage in your ceiling can lead to water damage that can cost you between $300–$1200 on average. Or, it can lead to potentially toxic mildew and mold growth. To avoid these damages, check the uppermost floors of your home after every storm to ensure your roofing system doesn’t have any issues.
Some signs to pay attention to during your inspection include patches or spots on your walls, stains on your ceilings, puddles on your floor, or a musty odor in the room.
The moment you notice something off, inspect your shingles like how we mentioned earlier. Also, hire a professional to deal with the water damage in your home.
During a storm, high winds, or even at random, a branch could snap off of its tree and slam into your roof. Trim these branches or the trees that are next to your home. Doing so will reduce the risks they pose during severe weather.
An overgrowth of organisms on your roof doesn’t only leave an unappealing sight, but it can also damage your shingles. If you happen to notice these growths or dark stains, you will want to hire a professional roof cleaner to deal with this issue. RC Roofing also offers professional roof cleaning to deal with such problems.
If you don’t have any growth on your roof at the moment, you can take preventative action. Apply products that contain copper and zinc to deter moss, lichen, and algae growth. Zinc strips are a great example of a product that you can buy.
RC Roofing has been providing roofing services to residents and businesses in Eastern Tennessee ever since 2014. If you want an experienced contractor who offers the best value, contact us and we will get back to you with a quote.
Top