Taking care of your home is super important as everyone knows. Often times there are things we miss or deem unimportant. One of the items we often take for granted is our homes roof. The fact is that for most of us the roof is out of site out of mind. The reality however is that the roof is one of the most important pieces of the homes architecture and structural components. In theory your roof should be inspected at least once a year by a qualified roofing professional or at least someone with experience that knows what to look for as far as roofing wear.
Roof Inspection Tips For Spring Roofing Maintenance
1) In the fall and spring it is important that you ensure your gutters are clean and free of debris. Debris comes in the form of pine needles, tree leaves and roofing granules. In order for the gutters to work properly and to ensure the water flows freely the gutter and downspouts need to be clean and clear.
2) Spring is the perfect time to have roofs that are older, ten years and above, you will want to inspect the roof during an intense wind/storm. With shingle roofs you will want to look for individual shingles lifting. This would be a good indicator of that the roofs adhesive properties are no longer working as they should. If the adhesive is no longer working your roof becomes prone to exposure that leads to leaks and shingles that blow off.
3) If your home is located in high moisture are you will want to keep moss from your roofing. This can be achieved using a moss killer product specially designed for roofs and sweeping the moss off. You can also try wetting the roof and sweep it off for smaller amounts of moss. Be careful that you are not scrubbing off the shingle roofing granules.
4) Never use a pressure washer on your homes roof. With asphalt shingles a pressure washer will remove the granules which in turn lose the shingles built in sunscreen. Asphalt shingles exposed to UV rays will allow the roof to age faster and your shingles to be brittle. The same is true if you power washer cedar shake roofs. It will lose the water repellant on top of the shingle causing you to have to reseal the entire roof.
It is important that you use caution when inspecting your roof. Professional roofing contractors have the equipment to ensure their safety while doing work on or inspecting the homes roof. Execute the same type of caution when doing roof repairs if you have decided not to pay a professional contractor to come in and do the repairs. The best reason I can give you to hire a professional is that they know exactly what they are looking for and can spot minor issues with your roof before they become major roofing issues. This can save you time and money in the long run. If your roofs lifetime is extended even a few extra years with general maintenance it is worth the little bit of outlay once a year to keep the roof maintained.