The Importance of Roof Maintenance

July 23, 2013

People tend to take good care of their homes. They are a significant investment, they are a safe place to live, raise a family and grow old. It is part of normal, everyday life to ensure that your home is not suffering from the elements or accidents. However many people have a tendency to ignore their roof, only attending to it once a leak develops or someone repairing something else in the house sees the problem is caused by a fault in the roof. Roof troubles need not be more expensive to deal with than a problem with a dishwasher or drains blocking up. Still many people see roof repairs as a considerable expense, and this is in part due to a lack of proper maintenance of roofs.

Maintaining your roof does not necessarily mean hands on work on a continual basis. The most important aspect of roof maintenance is to spot a problem as it begins and prevent it from becoming a serious problem down the line. You should inspect your roof on a monthly basis, and particularly after strong winds and heavy rain. Walk around your house and see if anything on the roof has come loose or if anything has fallen on the roof. Marks or signs of damage to individual tiles are often an indicator that something more severe happened which might result in further damage down the line. If you do notice any problems the sooner you act to repair them the better the chances are that the cost will be minimal.

Twice a year you should clean your drains and gutters. A ladder that folds into a platform is best for this as it means you will not have to move repeatedly to gain access, and it is also far more stable and safer than a ladder. All you need to do is remove built up gunk, leaves, twigs and branches. It is best to do this twice a year, before and after the winter or wet season.

Another check that should be carried out is to see if any drain or gutters have been moved, are disconnected or are backing up. If water builds up it can start to seep into your attic and attack and destroy the waterproof materials underneath the roofing. Build ups can lead to pools of water forming and can eventually lead to part of the ceiling collapsing. Water getting into the walls of the house can cause serious structural problems. Similarly it is important to ensure water is flowing to where it should be. If water is draining or flowing onto other parts of the roof it will eventually erode and damage your house.

If you experience particularly warm weather it is also important to check on your roof. A wide range in temperature going from cool at night and hot during the day can cause your roof to expand and contract putting extra strain on it. This can result in significant damage that might not be obvious until the first period of heavy rain. This is why it is important to inspect your roof before and after the winter.

Finally, you should have your roof inspected professionally ever few years. A professional can spot underlying issues that would not be visible to someone untrained.