Investing in regular roof maintenance is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect your home. The benefits are numerous, including avoiding costly repairs and a full roof replacement.
Finding leaks before they become catastrophic is the biggest benefit of routine maintenance. Having these problems identified early can save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
Inspect the Flashing
Regular roof maintenance should include a thorough inspection of your home’s flashing. This metal component seals any gaps or cracks in the roof to prevent water from getting into your home and causing damage.
The flashing is made from a variety of materials, but usually copper or galvanized steel. These are both durable materials, but they can also rust or discolor over time, so it’s important to clean and inspect them regularly.
Inspect the flashing that covers chimneys, vents, roof valleys, side walls and skylights to make sure they’re in good condition. Look for rusted, warped or missing pieces.
It’s also important to check the caulk around your flashing, which serves as another layer of protection against moisture. This material tends to degrade faster than shingles, so it’s important to periodically replace the caulk with new, clean and dry pieces.
If you’re unsure how to check the flashing of your home, it’s best to hire a professional to do this for you. A roofing contractor will be able to examine it in much more detail and determine if it needs repairs or replacement.
Ideally, you should be checking the flashing of your roof every year. This will help you prevent minor issues from becoming larger, more expensive problems that could end up costing you thousands of dollars in repair bills.
Inspect the Gutters
Gutters play a crucial role in protecting your home from water damage. This also applies to commercial roofing. They redirect water away from the structure and prevent it from leaking or overflowing during rainstorms. Regularly inspecting the gutters of your home can help you keep them working in tip-top shape.
During your inspection, you’ll want to look for clogs or blockages that might be causing your gutters to overflow. A good way to check this is by standing in a location that allows you to see your gutters from above.
Once you’re up on the ladder, take a close look at the slope of the gutters and their consistency. It’s essential that the gutters sit at an angle (pitch) of about a quarter inch for every 10 feet of length. If they’re angled incorrectly, you’ll notice that the water is pooling and not flowing to your downspout.
If your gutters are angled correctly, pour water into them to see how they move. If it moves slowly, it could be a sign that your gutters aren’t pitched correctly and will need to be adjusted.
Another sign that your gutters aren’t positioned properly is that they’re sagging. This is usually caused by loose hangers (the hardware that secures the gutters to the house), which can easily pull out if they can’t hold up the weight of leaves and other debris.
A good way to find out if your gutters are sagging is to stand on a ladder and check them after a storm. If they sag, you’ll know that it’s time to replace them with new ones.
Inspect the Soffit
The soffit of your home is one of the most important parts of your roof. Not only does it add aesthetics to your home, but it also protects it against pests and helps ventilate the attic space.
As a result, you want to keep it in good condition and make sure it is functioning properly. This means regularly inspecting your soffit for signs of deterioration or damage.
If your soffit is damaged or hasn’t been maintained properly, it could let water into the roof area. This can cause expensive repairs if left unchecked.
Another potential problem is the presence of pests, such as bees and wasps, who like to nest in soffit and fascia boards. You can spot these nests by checking your soffit and fascia boards regularly, especially in the spring and fall.
Termites are also at risk of infesting your home’s soffit and fascia board. Typical signs of termite infestation include small piles of sawdust or visible wood rot and decay.
In addition to these signs, you should also look for areas of sagging or drooping in the soffit and fascia. This can be caused by moisture damage and is a sign that the wood needs to be replaced.
The soffit and fascia of your home are an important part of your roof. They protect it from heavy rain and help maintain your home’s air quality. If they are not working properly, you should have them inspected and repaired if necessary.
Inspect the Shingles
One of the most important roof maintenance tasks for homeowners is to inspect the shingles of their home. They are a major part of your home’s roofing system, and if they become damaged or missing it can lead to water damage to your property.
Shingles are thin pieces of roofing material that are attached in overlapping courses or rows. They come in many materials, including wood, clay and asphalt. They need to be treated regularly to prevent rot, which can cause significant structural damage to your home.
They are a crucial part of your roof’s protection against harsh weather conditions. If you notice that the granules on your shingles have faded, you should consider replacing them.
You should also check your shingles for signs of damage such as cracked or broken shingles, curling or buckled shingles that allow water to penetrate your roof, and shingles that have been pushed out of place by storms. These issues are very expensive to repair, so be sure to address them as soon as you notice them.
Another thing that needs to be checked is your gutters and downspouts. These are necessary to direct the water that hits your roof away from the walls of your home. It is important to keep the gutters free of debris and clogged with leaves, twigs and other objects that can catch on them and cause damage.
You should also inspect the flashing that goes under your shingles, and caulk that seals the joints of your shingles. These can be affected by poor sealant applications, rust, or mold growth that can cause your roof to leak. It is also a good idea to look for signs of algae or moss on your roof. These are both highly unsightly and can cause a lot of structural damage to your roof if left untreated.
Inspect the Trees
Trees on a property are important for many reasons, but they also pose a safety risk. Damaged or dying trees can fall on a home and cause severe damage. Having your trees inspected regularly is important to prevent these problems.
A regular inspection by a professional arborist can help you keep your trees healthy and safe, saving you money and time. Your inspector can also recommend tree health care services if they find any issues.
One of the most common causes of tree hazards is root disease, which can spread and affect the entire structure of the tree. Some of the most obvious signs are a tree with crown dieback, cracks (deep splits in the bark), discolored leaves, soft crumbly wood, and the appearance of fungus.
It is crucial to identify and diagnose root diseases in their early stages because they can cause catastrophic damage if left untreated. Inspect the soil around your tree’s roots to determine if they are infected. A pulaski is an essential tool for this purpose, as it can be used to pull the soil away from a root to examine them.
When checking the roots, an evaluator should look at each one from 2-3 perspectives. They should examine the crown, stem, and roots from different angles, close to the base and all around.
Once an evaluator has inspected all parts of the tree, they can compare each defect to other defects in the area, using a rating system or a judgment based on experience and knowledge. The decision-making process is complicated by the number of trees to be inspected and their location.
If there are a lot of trees to be inspected or the targets are of high value, it may make sense to inspect them at more than one tree height. This helps to account for broken branches that might sail in the wind or a domino effect when a tree falls on another.
