A home is a huge investment. However, unlike other kinds of investments, work must be done from time to time protect and maintain your home. This certainly includes the roof, one of the key components that makes your house a shelter. You need to work to maintain your roof throughout the year. Below are some tips for doing just that.
Inspections
To care for your roof properly, you need to know its condition. You should inspect your roof at least once a year. Inspecting it multiple times a year is an even better idea as long as you take the proper safety precautions and wait for the right weather conditions. Things to look out for in your inspections include:
- damaged or missing shingles
- loose flashing
- exposed fasteners
- cracked, clogged or sagging gutters
- cracking sealant
- signs of algae and mold growth
- standing water
- roof penetrations by pipes and other objects
Each of these could be signs of existing or developing issues that could lead to significant damage. However, without a visual inspection of the roof, you may end up ignorant of serious problems until the damage has been done.
Cleaning
Keeping your rood clean is part of good maintenance. This cleaning may be laborious, but it can save you much heartache and expense down the road. For one, you certainly need to clean out your gutters at the end of every fall. While clogged gutters can cause plenty of problems during warmer months, they can be absolutely disastrous during winter. This is because melted snow that should flow down through the gutters and downspouts away from your home will have nowhere to go but inside your walls. The damage done can lead to rotten wood and mold infestations that can cost you thousands of dollars.
Other components of your roof should also be cleaned on a yearly basis. Any debris that ended up on your shingles and didn’t move down into the gutters should also be removed. Even things like pine needles can eventually cause problems like the growth of mold or algae. You can use a mixture of bleach and water to remove algae and mold from your roof.
Repairs
Sometimes, cleaning will not be enough. In those cases, you may need to make some slight repairs to fix problems or prevent issues from worsening on your roof. Easy roof repairs you can perform yourself include:
- replacing a few shingles
- fixing drip tips
- using roof adhesive to patch small leaks
- replacing missing or damaged flashing
- repairing sheathing
However, if the damage is too extensive or more complex than you can handle, you need to hire professionals for the job. Contact our tried and true professional roofers at Washita Roofing & Construction for roof repairs in Norman, OK.
