Roof Maintenance Tips For Every Season
It is important for homeowners to do roof maintenance in order to make their roofs not just weather-resistant, but season resistant as well.
26/05/2020
The roof is an important protective layer of your house. It provides your home interior with a reliable protection from the weather and elements and also maintains ambient temperature for the occupants. While our roofs stay above us and protect us day and night, these essential house coverings will eventually give in to wear and tear and to extreme weather events. This is why it is important to do a regular check and assessment on your roof to detect damages and alterations that can worsen if not addressed immediately. Different seasons bring about different punishments to our roofs, which makes it important for homeowners to do roof maintenance in order to make their roofs not just weather-resistant but season resistant as well.
Consider Hiring a Roofing Contractor
Roof maintenance can be a DIY task, but it can be both challenging and dangerous. You will be regularly climbing on top of your roof to do inspection and maintenance and staying on an elevated place. If you’re not careful around loose tiles or shingles, you are exposing yourself to slipping and falling, which could lead to serious injuries. That’s why it's very important to notice the small damages on your roof and do roof maintenance with roof professionals or gutter cleaners it before its irreparable
When it comes to choosing a roofing contractor, consider the experience and familiarity of the contractor of your residential area. For example, cities surrounding the Bay Area in California have mild winters and dry summers. Luckily, Californians can consult experts from Oakland roofers that have extensive knowledge of the housing structures in the city to help them find the best roofing options in line with the local climate.
Contractors that have extensive experience and good reputation in their belts are good picks. They are familiar with the weather and season patterns of the area and they know the best roofing materials and maintenance procedures to keep your roof staying functional for a longer time. Hiring roof contractors is also a cost-effective measure, because you are extending the lifespan of your roof up to its expected service life. Thus, you are significantly lowering the frequency of your roof, gutter or downspout replacements.
Schedule Roof Inspections Before and After Every Season
You might essentially be having two roof inspection schedules every season in order to ensure that your roof still stays in good condition after a season’s barrage. Most homeowners generally consider only summer and winter as the season extremes and generally ignore the seasons that come in between, which are spring and fall. Ideally, your inspections should cover all the seasons, especially the periods of transition from one season to another.
The cold temperature, snow accumulation and roof contraction are the significant issues to watch out for during winter. As spring approaches, check your roof again to see if there are gaps in the roof tiles or shingles and immediately replace missing ones. Spring is usually marked by heavy or regular rainfall, so need to ensure that there are no leaks and water seeping into your ceiling. Likewise, check for holes in the gutter and downspout to avoid moisture seepage into the walls and the promotion of mold growth.
Summer is marked by high temperatures and higher UV ray exposure, which can make plastic components in the roof more brittle over time. There is also the danger of thermal shock which happens during a sudden transition from high temperature to cold temperature brought by sudden summer rains and thunderstorms. Fall is characterized by a marked decrease in temperature as winter approaches. Tree leaves fall the most during this season so ensure to unclog your gutters and downspout to avoid heavy water or snow accumulation, which can damage your roof, gutter and downspout.
Trim Tree Branches Near Your Roof
Trees can provide an added measure of providing shade and good air circulation to your home, but their foliage and growth should also be kept in check so that they won’t interfere with your roof’s function or damage it. Heavy tree branches can become a threat to the safety of your house and can significantly damage your roof if left unchecked. They can potentially break or fall off during storms or high winds and land on your roof, window or wall. Even small, jutting branches that reach the roof can push back gutters and shingles if left unchecked. Lower the foliage level of the trees near your roof so that leaves will not gather and form heaps on your rooftop.
Maintain Cleanliness on your Roof
Cleaning your roof can go a long way and can help slow down its wear and tear. Leaves, dust and debris can accumulate at many parts of the roof, particularly at the gutters. Keep a regular roof cleaning schedule regardless of the weather. Proceed with your cleaning even if the weather was fine in the past few days. Even if there are just a few leaves and debris found on the roof, it is best to remove them anyway rather than wait for them to build up and clog your gutter and downspout. Ideally, the cleaning schedule should be once a month, but you can have a cleaning schedule of once every two or three months.
Check for Moss and Algae and Remove Them
Moss and algae growth are a result of shaded areas that are not exposed to sunlight and periodically exposed to damp, cool weather. These growths are not only unsightly, but they can also cause significant damage to your roof or lower its service life. This is because the areas where moss and algae growth can retain moisture longer than the surrounding area with no growth, which speeds up the depletion of the roof covering’s lifespan.
During winter, frost damage, crack and premature wear can happen in areas where moss and lichen grow because of water retention and seepage. When physically removing or scraping off these unusual growths, take extra care not to damage the shingles or tiles as they are more susceptible to damage than the areas with no growth. Use mild chemical treatments like a dilute bleach and water mixture to kill molds and algae and easily remove them afterward. We encourage using gentle chemicals for removing these growths to avoid permanent discoloration of your roof.
Roof maintenance is an essential task that will keep your home safe to stay in. It is one of the most frequently exposed parts of your home to outside elements, weather and season changes. Thus, it is important to keep an eye out for it as regularly as you can and do the necessary intervention and maintenance to keep your roof working until its full-service life.