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.
Tips For Maintaining Your Roof In The Summer
Summer is the best time of year to get crossing things off your roofing maintenance checklist. The bright, dry conditions make it easy to deal with any DIY or cleaning work; leaves and debris can be brushed away easily and repair jobs are more easy to perform. But crucially, it’s a much safer time to be up on your roof. Below are maintenance tips and tricks to keep your roof in the best condition possible.
Get rid of any leaves, twigs, branches and other debris that has accumulated on your roof from the previous months.
Replace any broken tiles, damaged or missing shingles. Call a professional to perform a thorough inspection and replace any missing shingles or tiles.
If you haven’t done so for a while, make sure you inspect and clean your gutter as summer season approaches. You can look to install either a gutter guard to cut down your maintenance jobs now and in preparation for the fall of leaves in autumn.
Inspect Gutters and Drains
Your gutters and drains divert the water flow away from your roof and home. So, if this pathway is blocked due to any reason, it can lead to moisture buildup, water backup, and other serious roofing problems. Therefore, it is important to keep your gutters and drains clean and flowing all year round. A lot of people feel that they need to clean them out during the fall season due to the leaf debris but things can get stuck in your gutters regardless of the time of the year.
This blockage in your drains can then cause water puddling on your roof, which often causes more damage to the decking as well as your attic. So, make sure your gutters are clean before fall begins. Once you have cleared the gutter blockage, also make sure that your gutters haven’t loosened during the colder months. This is important because a loose gutter with heavy debris is only an even bigger problem down the road.
Eliminate moss and algae from your roof either by hand for moss or with a detergent or solution to scrub into your roof for removing algae.
Check for Mold, Moss, and Algae
Summer heat is usually accompanied by storms and excessive humidity. These two conditions are ideal for algae growth. Gradually, algae can cause rot, damaging your shingles and ultimately leading to roof decay. However, it’s not only the roof where you should look for algae growth. It can also be found in gutters due to water buildup. So, in summer, algae growth can especially damage your roof and gutters if it is left untreated.
Similarly, moss also causes roof damage by causing the shingles to curl and crack. Heavy moss coverage on your shingles can block water, retain moisture under the shingles, and over time damage the structural integrity. So, if you notice moss, mold, or algae on your roof, it is best to remove it yourself or get a professional roof inspection and repair to get rid of it.
If chimney or vent flashing is damaged, uneven or lifting away from your roof, it’s time to replace it. Caulking and mortar should also be tended when it becomes loose and any cracks should be dealt with as and when you notice them.
Cut back, saw off and trim away any overhanging branches. This will prevent leaves and debris from cluttering and covering your roof all year round. It will also prevent squirrels and other animals from finding an easy route onto your roof.
Deal with any attic dwelling animals. If birds and squirrels have managed to find their way into your attic, they may cause damage to the interior of your roof as well as wires and structural components within it. First, look for evidence of damage in your attic and secondly, ascertain the areas where animals are getting into your roof. If you’ve heard any scurrying, scratching or chirping noises in your attic over the previous months, make sure you deal with it when the Summer arrives as wildlife will become even more abundant and persistent as the season progresses.
Improve your attic ventilation. If your attic becomes too hot in the summer it can deteriorate items in storage, exacerbate damp and moisture and make your home far less efficient.
Invest in an unobtrusive fascia vent or similar airflow improvement option to keep your attic at a healthy temperature – if you were wondering, your attic should be no more than 10 or 20 degrees hotter than the outside temperature.
Play it safe! Although summer is usually the safest time to check your roof, make sure your ladder is secured to a level and stable area of ground. If your maintenance or cleaning job seems too ambitious, don’t hesitate to call out the help of a professional roofing contractor.
CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004 FAMILY.ROOFING@YAHOO.COM
Your gutters and drains divert the water flow away from your roof and home. So, if this pathway is blocked due to any reason, it can lead to moisture buildup, water backup, and other serious roofing problems. Therefore, it is important to keep your gutters and drains clean and flowing all year round. A lot of people feel that they need to clean them out during the fall season due to the leaf debris but things can get stuck in your gutters regardless of the time of the year.
Cut back, saw off and trim away any overhanging branches. This will prevent leaves and debris from cluttering and covering your roof all year round. It will also prevent squirrels and other animals from finding an easy route onto your roof.