A Simple Guide to Roof Maintenance for Homeowners
by
R.Anderson
Your roof is an important part of your home and perhaps the most expensive part to replace or renovate. Your roof is what protects the inside of your home from rain, snow, wind, blazing sun and moisture. A good roof also reduces your heating and energy bills. Thus it is important to carry out regular roofing maintenance to ensure that your roof remains in a good condition.
Many homeowners look at various home renovation tasks to maintain the inside of their home, but they tend to neglect the roof. Paying attention to your roof only after you have detected a leak is too late. Often times fixing a leak may not be a simple job especially if the roof is in a poor condition due to years of negligence.
Age and Misconceptions:
The most common type of roofing system in North America is the asphalt shingles. According to the home builder association, these type of roofs can last anywhere between 10 to 15 years. However, many people falsely believe that the roof does not need any maintenance until it has reached the above age. Unfortunately, this is the wrong assumption that could be very costly. Another false assumption is that asphalt shingles last longer in warmer regions. In fact, asphalt shingles last longer in cooler areas than in warmer areas. Thermal shocks damage these types of roof when the temperature changes within a relatively short period of time.
Regular Inspections:
To ensure that your roof will remain in good conditions, it is important to carry out at least one to two inspections each year. This way you can detect and repair a small issue before it become critical. Replacing the entire portion or even parts of your shingles is a very costly home renovation project. You can save yourself lots of money and headache if you just take an hour to inspect your roof or call in an expert to check it out for you.
Simple Chores:
Roofing maintenance is not necessarily a heavy burden; simple chores can prolong the life of your roof. For instance, it is important that each fall you check your gutter to make sure that leaves and branches are not blocking the drainage. If the water does not drain properly, it can damage your roof. Poor drainage during the cold season will cause the water to freeze which can further damage your roof.
Don’t be shy:
Perhaps the most daunting part of roof maintenance is claiming or going on the top. Apart from the challenge of climbing to the top, it may not be safe for you to be up there. Therefore, it is sometimes best to call a trusted professional to check it out for you. The professionals have all the safety tools to ensure that they can look at every corner and all spots.
If you neglect your roof until you detect a large leak in your home, you may be forced to go through a costly home renovation project that could have been easily prevented. As you can see it is easy to maintain and prolong the life of your roof. Following the above tips can save you lots of headache and help to keep your money in your wallet.
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