Most roofs don’t get any attention from homeowners until they become damaged or start leaking. In reality, roof maintenance should be carried out every spring and fall or after a major storm.
With some proper maintenance including regular roof inspections from residential roofers and gutter maintenance, you can significantly help prevent damage to your roof.
Here are five things you can do to protect your roof from damage.
Take a Look at Your Attic
Although you likely don’t use your attic very often, it’s the first place you should look at when inspecting your roof. Minor light and air leaks often result in water entering your home during rain and storms.
A quick way to check this is by heading up to your attic and turning off the lights to determine if any light is shining in from the outside. Also, check the insulation for any signs of damage, as these could indicate previous leaks during rainstorms.
Schedule a Professional Roof Inspection
Having a professional roof inspection is a smart move to catch potential issues before they escalate. Ideally, you should have your roof inspected before hurricane season or before winter, but any time is better than not doing it at all. A qualified contractor can identify weaknesses or damages that you might not be aware of, enabling you to address them promptly.
During the inspection, the roofers will look for loose, bent, bowed, cracked, or broken shingles. In case your roof gets damaged, they will also help you with storm damage roof repair and tell you whether you need a roof replacement or not.
Improve Your Roof’s Storm Resistance
To bolster your roof’s resilience against storms, consider adding roofing cement underneath loose shingle tabs to keep them in place. Starter shingles along the eaves can also contribute significantly to wind resistance, especially in areas prone to wind damage.
If your roof is old or of inferior quality, it might be worthwhile to invest in re-roofing with higher-grade shingles that offer superior wind and UV light resistance, as well as a more robust water barrier and longer life expectancy.
Remove Potential Hazards
Debris in your yard can be a danger to your roof during a hurricane and could cause severe damage to your roof and property. That’s why it’s crucial to clear all junk and clutter from your property.
Make sure you trim back any trees that overhang your roof, as overhanging branches can scrape and damage shingles during high winds. Dead trees, though standing, should be removed entirely to eliminate the risk of them falling onto your roof during a storm.
Combat the Heat
If you live in the sunny state of Florida, your shingles endure a considerable amount of heat stress throughout the year. To combat this, consider investing in higher-grade, UV-resistant roofing materials. Another crucial factor is ensuring a quality underlayment separates your shingles from the roof deck, providing an additional layer of protection.
Improving attic ventilation or installing a radiant barrier on the attic ceiling can help regulate heat and moisture, benefiting both the wood and shingles that comprise your roof.