Arguably, the roof is the most important part of your house. It is that part of your home that keeps out the heat, the water, and the cold. Therefore, it is the roof that keeps you out of the way of natural elements.
Therefore, maintaining a healthy roof is of utmost importance. Additionally, the roof plays a crucial role in maintaining the building’s structural integrity. In other words, if the roof caves in, the entire building runs the risk of collapsing.
Therefore, in this article, we will examine the steps you need to take to maintain the health of your roof.
Steps To Keep Your Roof Healthy
Maintaining your roof is not a linear process. There would be a lot of back and forth that you need to do if you want actually to get into the thick of things.
However, you would not need to do any of those if you decide to hire professional house cleaning services in Plano or any other city you are in.
A DIY approach is good for experimentation, but can backfire majorly. Therefore, the only way to ensure the best results is to hire professionals.
With the disclaimer out of the way, here are some steps you can take to maintain your roof’s health.
Step #1: Look For Seasonal Leakages
Seasonal leakages in your roofing are quite normal. However, these need to be addressed immediately. Otherwise, you can run the risk of having an aggravated problem on your hands.
The best way to identify and plug seasonal leaks is to inspect for active leaks using a flashlight. Water damage on roof decking generally manifests itself as a darkened watermark.
A darkened watermark generally suggests that water has seeped into the roofing material and is soaking through the wood itself. It is high time for you to take note of this problem and address it.
Step #2: Clean The Roof Gutters
Roof gutters can be quite problematic when it comes to maintenance. The problem with them is that they accumulate water, along with all the loose leaves and gunk that comes with it.
The nature and the function of the gutter make it a quite maintenance-prone area of your roof. Gunk and debris easily get trapped in the gutter and then choke it. This could easily lead to major water damage over time.
Water damage caused by clogged gutters typically leads to inner wall damage or excessive mycelium growth. All in all, clean the gutters to keep the roofing clean.
Step #3: Do Not Let Debris Sit
Sitting debris is a big nuisance for roof maintenance. Removing sitting debris is one of the most important parts of maintaining your roof. Sitting debris generally consists of leaves, sticks, or any other form of debris that can be found sitting on your roof.
The debris makes it difficult for the water to trickle down efficiently. As a result, this retains excess moisture, and that leads to water damage/. It also damages the roof by increasing the overall weight on the roof.
Make it a habit to regularly clean the roof and increase its lifespan. Otherwise, you will have to deal with moss growth and other similar problems with your roofing.
Step #4: Trim Overhanging Tree Branches
Overhanging tree limbs might not cause a direct problem to your roofing. However, it does have some detrimental effects in the long run. Overhanging trees gradually wear out the top layer of your roofing.
Overhanging trees drip water or sap continuously during the summer. Moreover, they also create a lot of sitting debris. Therefore, an overhanging tree limb is a real problem that needs addressing.
Moreover, hanging limbs often house birds. Therefore, all the bird droppings can eventually eat away at your asphalt roofing. Therefore, consider trimming overhanging branches to keep the roof healthy.
Step #5: Regular Checking Of Shingles
Shingles are quite brittle and need regular maintenance from time to time. Therefore, having an active plan to maintain the integrity of these shingles is essential.
Some of the most obvious signs of the wearing down of shingles are granular, cracking, and curling. Therefore, make it a schedule to check the shingles after every one or two months. This will keep you in the loop of the whole thing.
Always replace shingles that show physical signs of damage and problems from the get-go. The reason is that shingles are like bad apples; one damaged shingle can create more problems.
Step #6: Check The Penetration Zones
One of the biggest challenges of maintaining the overall health of your roofing is to work around the penetration. Roof penetrations are any structures that break the integrity of the roof. For example, vents, pipes, chimneys, etc.
If you want to keep the roof intact, consider checking it regularly. Like shingles, please consider checking near the penetration. This will help you stay on top of things and make everything work out.
However, working around a roof penetration is a difficult thing. Hence, let the professionals take over.
That Is A Wrap
Maintaining your roof should not need convincing. The roof is the most important component of your house. Without the right kind of roofing, there is a high chance that the building itself could collapse. Therefore, make roof maintenance a part of your schedule. Otherwise, be ready to sleep without a roof.