The largest single structural component of your home is your roof. And it doesn’t just sit atop your house looking pretty. It protects your property – and much more, particularly now that energy efficiency is considered an increasingly important goal among homeowners and governments.
But like any other part of the home, your roof needs regular care and maintenance to stay in good shape and reach its maximum lifespan. A lot of the roof work you need to do regularly may seem pretty minor, but can, when taken together with everything else, significantly affect your roof’s overall performance. What kind of work needs to be done to keep your roof in tiptop shape at all times? Here’s a list of things homeowners need to stay on top of:
Roof Cleaning
Remember when you were a kid and your Mom would ask – or demand – that you clean your room now and keep it that way? You may not have known it then, but she was teaching you the importance of regular maintenance in keeping your property in good shape for the long term. Now that you are a homeowner yourself, that lesson can be applied in terms of your entire home – including your roof – to improve its overall performance. What can cleaning your roof regularly do? To name a few things:
- It can improve the roof’s life expectancy and performance. Roof systems aren’t normally built to handle pooling water, moisture retention, and debris build-up. If you do not clean your roof regularly, issues such as these can destroy its components, slowly leading to premature deterioration.
- It can improve and maintain the roof’s aesthetics. Not cleaning your roof for a long time can lead to different issues apart from debris buildup. You can expect clogged gutters, mold and mildew accumulation, and more. These issues are in themselves unsightly, and what’s more, they can also leave stains on your roof and around your home.
- It can improve energy efficiency. Who would have thought that roof cleaning can also boost energy savings? When it comes to roofs, energy efficiency is measured by reflectivity. If there is so much dirt or tree debris and branches covering your roof, its ability to reflect UV rays and heat is reduced.
Roof Leak Detection
You might think that roof leaks are easy to detect. After all, if there’s water dripping from the ceiling and pooling on the floor, it definitely means there’s a leak somewhere. However, finding the source can be trickier than you think, as water may crawl some distance away from the source before it finally drips down. Finding the leak source is not a simple process and you need the help of a professional to pinpoint the actual problem areas.
Immediate and proper roof leak detection is important in preventing more serious damage from occurring. Water damage can be a real headache when not addressed. The roof assembly parts can rot and rust when exposed to water and moisture for an extended period of time. It can even compromise your home’s foundation. Furthermore moisture can cause mold and mildew buildup, which can not only damage your belongings but also bring forth health problems.
Overall Roof Maintenance
Roof maintenance involves everything from regular inspection and cleaning to the performance of minor repairs. It plays a huge role in keeping and enhancing the look, integrity, and value of your roof and, ultimately, your entire home. Below are the specific benefits of routine roof maintenance:
- Maximize the roof’s service life. When you regularly have your roof cleaned and inspected, any signs of damage can be instantly detected and addressed, preventing more serious issues from arising.
- Minimize repair costs. When you maintain your roof, there will be less damage to repair – or none at all.
- Consider installing step flashing to avoid roof leaks and other problems.
- Ensures warranty coverage. Most manufacturers require semi-annual inspections to be conducted for the warranty to remain valid. Failing to maintain your roof well may void your roof warranty.
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Author Bio:
Carol Tedrick works at Tedricks Roofing, a family-owned and operated company that offers roofing replacement and repair services. She specializes in roof innovations, and customers swear by the advice on roofing that she shares in her articles. Find her work in the company blog at http://www.tedricksroofing.com/blog
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