METAL ROOF MAINTENANCE – FAMILY ROOFING

Posted on by David Reid

CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004   FAMILY.ROOFING@YAHOO.COM

 

At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

 

METAL ROOF MAINTENANCE

Metal is a unique, long-lasting roofing material that can enhance your home’s curb appeal.  Even though it’s more durable than other roofing types, it’s still vulnerable to wear and tear from harsh weather conditions and improper care.

Do Metal Roofs Require Maintenance?

Yes, metal roofs need annual maintenance to perform and look their best.  Consider these benefits of caring for your metal roof:

  • Prevent costly issues: Leaks, dents, scratching, degradation and corrosion could damage your property, resulting in expensive repairs.  Scheduling a roof inspection with a professional roofing company can help prevent these issues by identifying problem areas and fixing them as necessary.

  • Prolong your roof’s lifespan: Metal roofs can last a long time, but harsh weather conditions and other factors could cut your roof’s lifespan short.  When you take care of your metal roof, you can keep your roofing components in excellent condition.  Inspecting your roof at least once a year can help you repair problems and prevent the need for a future replacement.

  • Enhance your roof’s aesthetic: Besides making sure your metal roof can adequately protect your home, maintaining your roof allows your roof to look its best.  Instead of letting dirt and dents pile on top of your house, you can clean your roof to improve your property’s curb appeal.  A metal roof is a significant investment, so you should take care of it to highlight this quality material.

Why it’s Important to Maintain Your Metal Roof

To prevent potential problems

It’s a fear of every home or building owner: A problem originating on the roof.  Not only can problems with a roof cause damage to the property and/or the items inside of a home or building, it also results in unwanted and potentially high repair costs.  Some of the potential problems with metal roofing are:

  • Leaking

  • Denting

  • Scuffing

  • Scratching

  • Degradation

  • Galvanic corrosion

Regular maintenance performed at least once a year, either by a roof maintenance service or the home/building owner, can help identify potential problem spots.  These areas can then be fixed to prevent the issue from becoming serious or creating a failure in the system.  (A roof maintenance service, typically provided by the contractor who installed the roof, is the safest option, especially if you don’t have experience with metal roofing maintenance.)

To prolong the life of the roofing system

The worst situation you could run into is having to prematurely replace your entire metal roof. Regularly maintaining and caring for your roof is the best way to prevent this.  Like any product, a regular maintenance schedule will help maintain the integrity of the metal roof and its accessories and ensure that it continues to perform well and provide protection.  There are many scenarios where a metal roof could be subjected to harmful elements, which is why it’s important to be observant and educated on maintenance that should be performed so you can identify problems and take the necessary steps to correct them.

To keep your metal roof or wall system looking great

It’s most important to make sure your metal roof performs well, but you also want it to look great, right?  Nobody wants a roof on their home or business that looks old, dirty, or damaged.  If you’ve paid the cost of the metal roof, it’s just as important to keep it maintained so you get your money’s worth.  A big part of keeping it maintained revolves around keeping the surface clear of any dirt, dust, or debris that could make your roof look unsightly.

Metal Roof and Wall System Maintenance Basics

Surface Maintenance to Perform on a Metal Roof

Surface maintenance consists of tasks that can be done without a thorough inspection of the roofing structure. There are many home or building owners who might want to do this maintenance on their own, but keep in mind that there are also professional maintenance services available for hire who are well trained in roof maintenance and safety.  If you do decide to do the maintenance yourself, it is very important to consider your safety, especially on roofs with a steeper slope.  Also, metal roofs are very slippery when wet, so keep this in mind if you plan to use any kind of liquid to clean your metal roof.

There are varying opinions on the frequency that maintenance should be performed, but it’s typically dependent on the environment the roof is in. For example, a home in a milder climate might only need to do surface-level maintenance once a year or every 18 months.  But a building in a more extreme climate, such as Florida or Texas, or one that is in the shade underneath trees might need maintenance more than once per year depending upon the severity of conditions. Additionally, some warranties even list required maintenance in order to keep the warranty valid.

To ensure the continued performance of your metal roof, perform the following surface-level maintenance tasks on your roof.

CLEAN OFF DIRT, MILDEW, STAINS, AND OTHER ELEMENTS

Cleaning your metal roof and removing the dirt and other potentially harmful elements that could get stuck on the surface helps extend the life and the look of the roof.  This may seem like an easy task, but there are strict processes of how to clean your metal roof safely and correctly so no harm is done to the panels, the building, or yourself.

CLEAN OUT GUTTERS AND DRAINS

Gutters and drains are popular spots for leaves, sticks, and other debris to build up and lead to clogging, which creates pooling water accumulation. This standing water can facilitate premature corrosion on nearly every type of metal roof material.  Make sure you clean out your gutters and drains at least once per year to prevent this situation.

REMOVE LEAVES OR DEBRIS STUCK IN VALLEYS AND OTHER DEAD SPOTS

Not only does debris stuck on a roof look unappealing, it can also stain or scratch the paint system on the metal.  Check for leaves and branches that could get stuck in valleys or other spots with low slopes or horizontal planes and remove promptly.

REMOVE BRANCHES OR STICKS TOUCHING THE ROOF SURFACE

Homes or buildings underneath trees require extra care to ensure no branches are touching or scraping the surface of the metal roof.  This could lead to scratching or scuffing of the paint system, which is typically not covered by a paint warranty.

ENSURE NO OTHER METALS OR MATERIALS ARE TOUCHING THE ROOF

It may seem unlikely that metal or other materials could end up on your metal roof, but it’s a possible cause for concern.  Different materials coming into contact with a metal roof could lead to interactions resulting in early degradation, staining, and potential failure of a system altogether.