Recommendations For Home Roof Maintenance And Upkeep
Posted on: 7 October 2020
The roof of your home is a large barrier of protection to your lifestyle, possessions, and your family. For this reason, it is essential that you keep an eye on your roof's condition and make or hire professional repairs as soon as possible if there is an issue. The following are some insightful recommendations to help you take care of your home's roof and keep it maintained.
Make DIY Repairs
There will come times that your roof will need some simple repairs and maintenance to keep it watertight. For example, after a storm, you may notice some shingles have blown from your roof or a shingle has broken in half and is hanging from its roofing attachments. You can safely access your rooftop and make the needed repairs to keep your roof a strong barrier without having to hire professional repairs just yet.
Be sure you have some extra shingles on hand to replace any broken or missing ones after a heavy wind. If any shingles are curling up, this can expose the underlying shingles to moisture. Use some roofing cement onto the underside of the shingle to adhere it securely onto the roof again.
Keep an eye on your roof gutters for any sagging, and look for areas of the gutters that are disconnected from the roof's edge. You can easily reattach the gutter with a new attachment piece from your local home improvement retailer.
These are some DIY repairs you can make to extend your roof's life out a few more months or years. This can be helpful when you know your roof is in need of a full replacement but you are not quite ready for the project and need to budget for its replacement.
Watch for Problems
There are some signs that your roof will give you when it begins to show signs of aging and wear. In addition to curling shingles, your roof may shed some areas of shingles, exposing the underlying layers. If you begin to see a large amount of asphalt shingle granules on the ground around the downspout exit, this is a sign your shingles are aging. This means that their exposure to the elements has begun to degrade their protective barrier and they are losing their integrity.
It is also important that you keep an eye on the interior ceiling of your home if you have completed any exterior patching to the roof, whether it is replacing shingles or applying roofing cement to repair damage. The interior attic space is the first area in your home that is going to receive moisture damage.
After each rainstorm, access your attic and use a flashlight to inspect the roof area directly under where you made your repairs. Look for staining or discoloration to the plywood. Contact a roofing contractor to help you make repairs if there is a leak, which can require a new roof and an inspection of the roofing deck.
For more information about how a roofing contractor can help you maintain your roof, reach out to a local roofing company.
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