Many homeowners don’t understand how important their homes roof is to the structure of their home. Not many of us take time to climb a ladder to inspect the roof. That is our nature. We have an out of sight, out of mind mentality. If the problem is not obvious and we don’t see it from where we stand on the ground we don’t further inspect. However, this is the wrong approach to have when it comes to your homes roof maintenance. If homeowners took the time to evaluate their roofs or to hire a roofing contractor to come out and inspect the roof they would save thousands of dollars. Roof maintenance verses a new roof equals a ton of cost savings and money in their pockets. Here are some tips to prepare your homes roof for the long, cold winter that is right around the corner.
As with anything it is always recommended that you call in the professionals before you attempt any home repairs or maintenance on you own. This is important when it comes to your roofs maintenance. A roofing contractor is a professional and will know what to look for in regards to damage to your roof. What looks like something major to us might be something very minor and easily fixed with help from a roofing contractor. Also there is the safety factor to consider as well.
To begin maintaining your roof it is important to start at the outer most part and work upwards. Roof maintenance starts with gutter maintenance. Gutters should be cleaned twice a year at the end of fall and the end of spring. This allows the water to remain free to flow through the gutters and into the downspouts without clogging. If gutters are left filled with debris the water run-off has nowhere to go and can freeze causing damage to the gutter as well as to the shingles, overtime causing damage to the structure of your home as well.
As mentioned earlier most damage that occurs on your roof will go unseen from ground level. You may never notice that you are having issues with your shingles or roof structure without climbing on a ladder to check it out up close. Some common issues with shingle roofs are curling, buckling or blistering. If any of these are seen it is time to begin considering a new roof. These are all signs that your shingle roofing’s life expectancy is coming to an end.
There are other repairs to consider when you are examining your roof and shingles. Take for instance the materials around your chimney. If they are coming loose or show extensive wear it is time to replace them. All the materials around your chimney, pipes and other vents into the home through the roof must be kept in place and free of wear. Additional roofing tar or caulk can be applied, when needed. This will help with water leaks and prevent water from freezing underneath the area and causing extensive damage to the roofs structure.
Check the shingles to ensure that they are not losing an excessive amount of granules. The granules on the shingles protect the roof’s structure from ultraviolet rays as well as adding weight to the shingles. If you notice an abundance of granule loss consider looking into replacing your roof soon.
A new roof can be installed on your home during any season. Obviously the winter element of snow slows roofers down a bit but it can be done. The best time to look into having your roof replaces is during the spring and fall seasons when the weather is favorable. There is less delay in scheduling during these nonpeak times as well.
Home Pro Roofing contractors offer a variety of roofing services throughout Brighton, East Lansing, Ann Arbor, Fenton and Commerce Township, including installation of shingle roofs, metal roofing and roof repairs. You will find them at http://www.homeproroofingmi.com today.