Your roof provides protection for you and your family against the elements. Because of its importance, regular upkeep and repairs are necessary. If you’re a new homeowner or not familiar with roofing, below is a homeowner’s guide to yearly roof maintenance.
Tips for Yearly Roof Maintenance
Perform a Visual Roof Inspection
Regardless of whether you’re afraid of heights, performing a visual inspection of your roof from the ground without needing to climb a ladder is possible. Walk around your home and note signs of damage, including missing shingles, buckled or curled shingles, bare spots on the shingles, cracked caulking, rusted or loose flashing, areas of moss, peeling paint on overhangs, and any other signs of a problem.
Look for Interior Signs of Damage
An interior inspection is just as crucial as an exterior one. Check inside the attic for wet insulation, water stains, leaks, mold, structural damage, or areas where the light shines through from outside. Check the ceilings throughout your house for water stains, cracks, and sagging.
Hire a Contractor for an Annual Inspection
If you find anything of concern during your inspection, contact a professional roofing contractor immediately, as it could indicate a more serious underlying issue. A professional will be able to spot problems you may have missed, and they can perform the necessary repairs and provide valuable insight into yearly roof maintenance.
While a DIY visual inspection can go a long way, hiring a professional to thoroughly inspect your roof at least once per year is essential.
Clean the Gutters Regularly
While it is a job that most people don’t enjoy, gutter cleaning is essential to yearly roof maintenance. When gutters become clogged, water overflows and seeps underneath the roof materials, causing considerable damage. Ideally, gutter cleaning should be performed in the spring and again in the fall.
Yearly Roof Maintenance: Trim Tree Limbs
Tree branches are a threat to the integrity of your roof. During severe weather, there is a risk of tree limbs falling on the roof and damaging materials or puncturing a hole. Trim large branches overhanging the roof to minimize storm damage. Keeping branches away from the house also prevents leaves from accumulating on the roof, where they absorb water and may cause rotting.
With yearly roof maintenance, you are taking a proactive approach to maintaining your roof and extending its lifespan.
AmeriSpec Inspection Services provides home inspections in the Dallas-Ft Worth area. Contact us to schedule our services.