The roof plays a critical role in protecting your property and family from the elements regardless of the prevailing weather conditions. With proper installation and maintenance, your roof should keep you safe and dry for decades. Unfortunately, your roof will suffer from wear and tear over the years, but when you keep up to date with preventive maintenance, you can solve issues quickly and easily. Here are the top three residential roofing practices you can do:
1. Keep Tabs On Roof Maintenance
It is an excellent idea to periodically carry out visual inspections of your roof. After heavy storms, try to walk around your home to see if there are any visible signs of damage or if debris has accumulated on your roof. Rotting tree branches and leaves can cause damage to shingles and clog your gutter system.
If you spot any signs of damage, you should call a reputable local roofing contractor and arrange for repairs as soon as possible. It’s recommended you have your roof inspected twice a year by a professional and after heavy storms. This way, you can identify minor issues and fix them early before they escalate into major, costly problems requiring a full roof replacement.
2. Keep Clear Records Regarding Your Roof
Keep comprehensive records regarding your roof, including when it was installed, maintenance done on it, and any other pertinent information. Other than helping you know when to schedule periodic inspections and maintenance, keeping clear records about your roof can help keep your warranty intact. Records of dates and details of roofers who stepped on your roof can also help you identify the cause of roofing issues and show due diligence with your roof maintenance plans.
3. Never Go Up Your Roof
Although you can regularly conduct visual inspections of your roof or clean any debris on your roof and gutters from a ladder, it’s never advisable to go on the roof yourself. Let a professional roofer carry out any work. Roofing is one of the riskiest professions due to the heights involved.
From the ground level, you can, however, carry out visual inspection of your roof and look out for the following:
- Missing or broken shingles
- Debris on your roof
- Areas of previous repairs to see if they’re holding up
- Granules in your gutters or downspouts
- Signs of moisture in your home’s interior (leaks, wet walls, mold, mildew, etc.)
- Moss or algae growing
Only an experienced roofer has the training, expertise, and equipment to safely climb up roofs and carry out detailed inspections and necessary repairs. Typically, early discovery of issues can lead to cheaper and more manageable solutions.
At Guardian Homes in the greater Puget Sound Area, we have the experience to maintain your roof and provide you with invaluable tips on how to care for it. Our roofing specialists will also give you a rough estimate of how much longer your roof will last. Contact us today to schedule your roofing inspection.
