How To Keep Your Roof Maintained
Roof maintenance is crucial for any homeowners that want to avoid costly repairs bills and ensure the longevity of their roof. Roof maintenance should be conducted by a professional roofer once a year to completely check over every aspect of your roofs condition. Your roofer will help you spot any unseen damages and advice for some repairs that will help protect your roof from degrading. While your roof is not being seen by a professional there are a few things that you can do to ensure your roof is well maintained.
Here are some of our best tips on easy things you can do to ensure that your roof is in a good condition.
The Eye Test
One of the easiest ways to keep your roof well maintained is just checking on it frequently. Taking the time to view the parts of your roof you can see from ground level will help you get a brief view of if everything is in place. Check for any changes in the tiles, marks or cracks on your tiles or caulking and inspect your fascias and soffits for any visible damage. If you notice any significant damage then contact your roofer for a repair, if something seems a little out of place but not serious then simply make note of it for your next inspection.
Observe Your Roof After Storms
Roofs are very susceptible to damage after heavy rain and storms, strong winds and falling debris can cause tiles to become misplaced and further damage to your roof. You should look at your roof for any visible signs of damage after any major storm.
Be Careful of Surrounding Trees
If your roof is near larger trees then branches, leaves and twigs can fall onto your roof causing damage to the tiles. This will happen more frequently than you might imagine, if it is your tree maybe look into getting it pruned so that no further debris can fall onto your roof.
Observe Your Drainage
When it is raining you should observe the waterflow from your roofs’ gutters to your downspouts, even in heavy rain your gutters should not become blocked or overflowing with water. If you notice water not draining sufficiently or falling from parts of your gutters other than the downspouts, then you will need to get your gutters inspected by a roofer.
Inspect The Inside of Your Roof
If you have safe access to your loft, then you can also look at the inside of your roof. Looking over your timber frames and joists and ensuring there is no mold or rot is crucial as rotting structural supports can lead to total roof failure.
Act Quickly
When you find that your roof has suffered damage especially after a heavy storm then acting quickly is imperative. The quicker you act the quicker your roof can be protected again. If roof damages are left unattended for prolonged periods of time, then the damage caused will only worsen ultimately costing you much more in repair bills down then line.
Take Note of Any Changes
You should make a roof inspection list that you can add to throughout the year. This way when your yearly inspection comes around you will have a list of issues you can report to your roofer without forgetting anything. Minor changes to your roof conditions can lead to further damage more costly repairs so even the slightest change should be taken note of.
Some clear changes to your roofs condition you should keep a keen eye out for is if there is an added breeze to the upstairs for your home. Or if your home is failing to heat up to the levels it has been, this can be because heat is escaping from your roof. In addition to this Listen out for any animals nesting within your roof if you believe birds are nesting in your roof then there is likely damage to your roof or fascias and soffits that you cannot see that is allowing animals to nest inside your building.
What Professional Roof Maintenance Entails
While all the things listed above are quick and easy maintenance tips there some roof maintenance techniques that are best left to your roofer. Roof maintenance encompasses your entire roof including the exterior, interior, tiles, chimney, gutters, and fascias & soffits.
Roof Inspections
Your roofer will inspect every aspect of your roof including the exterior, interior, chimney, and roofline features. Every part of your roof will be thoroughly inspected to ensure it is not at risk of further damage they will also make list of any existing damage to offer you a repairs service.
Drone Surveys
Many modern roofers now offer complete drone surveys for homeowners and commercial business. This will help the roofer get a close look at your roof without having to raise scaffolding or walk on your roof risking further damage. Drone surveys are ideal for keeping roof maintenance costs down and giving you the most thorough exterior inspection.
Roofline Maintenance
Any maintenance needed can be taken care of whether this is removing any debris or realigning misplaced roof tiles. Ever part of your roof will be maintained ensuring that you can have peace of mind knowing that your roof has the best chance of staying in great condition.
Roof Repairs
If any parts of your roof are in need of repair, then your roofer can also conduct the roof repair for you. They will provide you with a list of parts of your roof that need urgent repair to give your roof the best chance of staying in good condition. Your roofer can repair your roof to ensure that it does not degrade further from addition damage.
Removal of Moss or Debris
Any blockages in your gutters or moss and debris will be completely removed ensuring your roof is adequately draining water. Your roofline features will be fully inspected ensuring there is no damage to your fascias, soffits, gutters, or box-ends.
Can I Not Repair My Roof Myself?
It is not recommended. Unlike many things within your home that DIY will fix your roof is not one of those things. Roofing is a specialist skill that requires years of on-the-job experience. A roofer will know how to repair and maintain your roof without causing it any additional damage. Poorly conducted DIY repairs can end up costing you more money down the line as your roofer will have to rectify the bad job prior to fixing the problem. Contact Alpine Roofing today to get a Roof Maintenance quote.
