How To keep Your Roof In Top Condition
If you were to make a list of the most important parts of your home, your roof would likely be towards the top; it protects you and the things you care about by keeping so many things out of your home that don’t belong inside. It can be easy to take your roof for granted as long as it’s doing its job, but when something goes wrong with your roof, you’ll definitely notice it.
It’s worth spending a little time taking care of something so crucial to your family’s daily safety and comfort. Of course, some maintenance will require the help of professionals like Pinnacle Roofing, but there’s actually a lot you can do yourself to keep your roof in top condition!
Monitor tree limbs near your house
It’s great to have a huge tree that shades your yard, and who doesn’t love colorful leaves in fall? But in the winter or during inclement weather, that same tree you love can become a serious threat to your roof. To prevent limbs, branches, or the trunk itself from falling on your roof, make sure you have an experienced tree service check the tree’s health and trim any branches that could threaten your roof. It’s worth keeping an eye on the tree’s growth, to ensure that it doesn’t grow dangerous limbs that could snap off and cause damage to the roof below.
Keep your gutters clear and your roof free of leaves
If you’re like most people, you might clean your gutters once a year. However, cleaning your gutters too infrequently can allow them to get too full, and since your gutter health and roof health are closely related, this can put your roof at risk.
If your gutters get clogged with debris, water can seep into your roof structure and cause the wood to rot or fungus to grow. This will weaken the structural integrity of your roof, and can cause serious damage.
If you have a simple peaked roof without unusual angles, you probably won’t have too many issues with leaves accumulating. But if your roof is more complicated or you have many deciduous trees nearby, you may notice piles of leaves collecting in roof valleys or near chimneys. Leaves that stay on your roof can trap moisture and decompose. This can allow moisture to damage your roof, or even allow weeds to grow!
You may be able to pull the leaves down with a soft car-washing brush on a telescoping pole if you have a low-slope roof and a one-story house. Dry leaves can be removed with a leafblower, and wet leaves can generally be removed with a garden hose.
To keep your “roof ecosystem” healthy, be sure to completely clean your gutters regularly, and remove leaves whenever you notice heaping piles. We recommend once every 3-6 months and possibly twice during the fall, when a high rate of falling leaves and increased rain presents an exponential risk to your gutters’ safety.
Watch out for plant growth
Even if you’re careful about managing leaves and moisture, you may notice live plants growing on your roof. Sometimes these can be trees that have taken root in leaves or your shingles, but if you see bright, pale, or bluish-green splotches on your roof you may be dealing with either moss or algae. While seedlings, algae, and moss can cause damage in their own right, they are usually signs that moisture has seeped into your shingles or roof enough that there’s trouble to be repaired.
Evaluate your shingles and flashing (carefully!)
Your roof is responsible for sheltering you from wind storms, ice storms, snowstorms, downpours, and any other kind of storm you can think of. In the aftermath of any storm, you should check to make sure that your roof is still capable of standing up to the outside elements. You may need some repairs after an especially bad storm, and if you’re seeing a lot of water damage in the attic or top floors, it may be time for a replacement.
Even though we recommend you avoid attempting your own roof repairs or inspections out of concern for your safety, you can usually safely assess if there’s a problem just from looking at your roof. Once every three months, or whenever there may have been recent storm damage, you can climb up and take a look at the state of your roof. You don’t even have to get off the ladder to get a pretty good idea of what kind of issues might be hiding up there, and might require a professional inspection.
If you see clearly damaged or separated shingles, or flashing that has rusted or pulled away from its surfaces, don’t hesitate to call us for help repairing or replacing your roof.
Winterize, winterize, winterize
Though in the Mid-South you don’t need to worry about it for the majority of the year, when there’s ice, there tends to be lots of roof damage, fast. Ice dams form when the heat from your home melts ice or snow, which flows onto your eaves before re-freezing, thereby causing a backup of ice and snow that’s seriously difficult to deal with. The moisture, weight, and freezing temperatures caused by snow and ice dams can quickly compromise even the strongest of roofs.
Even more frustrating is that once the ice has formed, trying to pry it off the roof will only make it worse, which is why it’s best to think ahead. It’s a good idea to winterize your roof if winter storms are on the horizon. Rake the snow off of the roof before it accumulates, and apply heat strips or salt to your roof to help melt the snow before it forms into an ice dam or accumulates on your roof.
Keep your roof in top condition with Pinnacle Roofing
While you can do a lot of good for your roof by keeping an eye on it and performing the appropriate maintenance, there are several aspects of roof care that require the attention, tools, and skills of professional roofers. It’s generally recommended that you have your roof inspected once every 6-12 months, after major storms, and if you see visible signs of damage.
Here at Pinnacle Roofing, we have what it takes to keep you and your family dry, warm, and safe. We are a local company with Memphis roots, and we take pride in providing high-quality workmanship to homes across the Mid-South. Whether you’re looking to prevent leaks, patch one up, or simply to get some friendly advice, we’re here for you!