Summertime is the right time to start doing routine maintenance on your roof. After coming out of winter, you should check your roof for damages that may need repair. Since the roof is usually overlooked, it can be easy to miss small problems. But in time, that missing shingle or cracked flashing could lead to expensive water damage. Instead of waiting for something horrible, get on your roof today.
Here is a spring cleaning list for your roof:
Check Your Home For Signs of Water
Water is the number one greatest threat to your home. Unfortunately, springtime is one of the most rainiest seasons in North America. This means that, if your roof is going to have a problem with water, it’s going to be in the height of spring or summer. So, you need to check for potential problems before May showers bring June or July mold and water damage.
Moisture can be seen in a number of places. For instance, you might notice that areas of the roof look wet or sunken. There might be standing water in the valleys of the roof, or there is the unmistakable stain of mold and algae growth. Perhaps there is an increase of humidity in your home, particularly around the attic. You may even note that there are patches of discolored paint on the ceiling or pieces of plaster falling from a water blistered ceiling.
If you notice any signs of moisture in your home that shouldn’t be, or even if you suspect that there may be a leak somewhere, do not wait to call a professional roofing contractor. You will need to have those leaks repaired as soon as possible to prevent a wide spread problem.
Clean The Gutters
Even if you don’t have a lot of trees surrounding your house, there is bound to be debris that shows up in the gutters. Leaves, bark, granules from shingles, and even moss or mold can start to create a thick sludge that stops water from flowing. Maybe even the weight of melting snow and ice has thrown off the pitch of the gutters and has made places of standing water.
You don’t want anything that is going to cause an overflow. That means that, as the temperatures get warmer and the freeze-thaw cycle is long gone, you should be prepping to clear the gutters of debris, checking the hangers, the fascia the hangers are attaching to, the pitch of the gutters, and even how well water flows through downspout. Make sure that water ejected from the downspout does not pool around the foundation of your home either.
When dealing with your gutters, be sure to work cautiously. While cleaning gutters is relatively easy, you need to ensure the ladder is secure. If you don’t feel comfortable, hire a roofing contractor instead.
Check Your Attic and All Ceilings
There are two places in your house where water damage is going to be most evident—the attic and the ceilings in the highest parts of your home. As mentioned earlier, if you see signs of water damage, you most likely have a hole in your roofing system somewhere; but it’s not always going to be that obvious. Sometimes, you will need to physically touch the insulation of your house or look for mold in the attic. You might need to scan the walls of the attic for outside light.
Keep an eye out for plaster that looks bubbled or damp. Look for pieces of plaster that have been weakened or places where paint is peeling or discolored. If there is extensive water damage in the attic, you may have to look for other places within the internal structure of your home where water may seep.
Remove Mold and Debris
Moss and debris might not always seem like a big deal, but both are risky. First, moss is not troublesome in small quantities and can even be easy to wash off. However, when left to grow rampantly across your rooftop, the moss may begin to lift shingles and other materials away from the water barriers and underlayment. When this happens, the vulnerable materials underneath are no longer protected. Plus, moss tends to soak up moisture and can become rather heavy. This too poses are threat.
Debris, like moss, can puncture and rip at the shingles. Branches and leaves may begin to collect around valleys or clog gutters, forcing water to pool and overflow. Any overflowing water may eventually leak past the shingles and down into the other materials.
Remove it all before such damages can be done.
Schedule a Roof Inspection With a Roofing Contractor
This summer, you shouldn’t wait to inspect your roof and do some routine maintenance. Even if you have decided to check your roof in the summertime, it’s still not too late. A professional roofing contractor has been trained to spot the issues with your roof, so if you are concerned about your roof or are wary about looking for problems on your own, get some help.
A roofing inspection by a professional ensures that a licensed and insured technician will thoroughly examine the roof and will use quality products to make minor (or major) repairs.
In short, don’t leave the health of your roof or your home up to chance. Spring cleaning for your roof can be quick and easy. Now that you know to check the gutters and clear the roof of debris, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get started.
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