Roof Maintenance – Why It’s Important to Inspect Your Roof Regularly

Training yourself to look at your roof regularly makes it easier to spot problems before they become serious. After a big rain storm is an especially good time to inspect your roof.

Keep an eye out for low-hanging branches that may damage your roof in a storm or provide squirrels and other critters with easy access to your home. Trimming these limbs can prevent these issues. Read on for some ideas.

Inspect the Flashing

It’s important to get your flashing inspected on a regular basis to prevent issues like water damage and mold. Getting flashing issues addressed right away will help you save money in the long run as it will cost less to repair your roof overall.

Essentially, flashing is a roll of impervious material that’s installed to ensure the integrity of a structure’s walls and protect against moisture penetration. It’s commonly found in areas where multiple roof planes meet, such as at chimneys, dormers, vent pipes, and window openings. It’s also used in the “valleys” of the roof, where two slopes converge.

During a roof inspection, we’ll look for signs of flashing failure or degradation and make necessary repairs. This will help to prevent leaks, which can cause extensive and costly damage to a building’s interior. To learn more about how to inspect your roof, read our blog series: Mastering Roof Inspections. You’ll find everything you need to know about shingles, gutters, and flashing.

Clean the Gutters

Clogged gutters give rainwater nowhere to go and can lead to roof damage, water leaks in the home, and other problems. Cleaning the gutters is a task that needs to be done regularly and preferably twice a year in both spring and fall.

It’s important to clean your gutters because the gutter system controls the flow of rainwater off a roof into a downspout directed away from the house and foundation. If a gutter becomes clogged with leaves and debris, it can cause problems, including rusting the fascia board, sagging, and even falling to the ground.

Clogged gutters can also create ice dams in the winter. An ice dam forms when melting snow and ice is trapped in the gutters and can’t drain properly, which can cause damage to your roof and other parts of the home. Cleaning the gutters can help prevent ice dams. You should also make sure your roof has proper ventilation to allow hot air to escape and avoid condensation that can cause shingle damage.

Inspect the Shingles

During an inspection, the homeowner should look for shingle granules in the gutters and on the ground. A loss of granules may indicate the end of the life of the roof. The inspector should also check for signs of water damage inside the home, such as stains on ceilings or walls.

The inspector should look for rust on the metal pieces that connect different planes of the roof, as well as around chimneys and vent pipes. In addition, he or she should inspect the rubber boots and seals of these appliances for wear and tear.

A good roof maintenance program should include a visual inspection from the ladder to find problems that may not be visible from ground level. It is best to have this done by a professional, but the homeowner should still look for things like missing or cracked shingles. Missing shingles should be replaced as soon as possible to prevent water leaks.

Replace the Caulk

Most homes will need a caulking job at some point. Caulk helps protect the house from drafts and seals moisture in and out of the home.

Caulking should be done during dry weather. It is important that the caulking bead looks clean and smooth. If the caulking starts to crack, it should be replaced immediately.

It is a good idea to get an experienced roof contractor for large-scale repairs. Trying to do a roof repair on your own can void warranties and can cause more problems down the road. Using a temporary fix like roof mastic or roof cement as a permanent repair will only buy you time.

There are many types of caulking, and it is important to choose the right one for each job. Silicone caulk is a good choice for sealing around doors, windows, and trim. Butyl rubber caulk is a good option for gutters and roofing. Masonry repair caulk is a urethane-based blend that works well on masonry. Click here for the next blog post.