Home & Garden

Taking Proper Care of Your Roof: 6 Key Tips to Follow

The most attacked part of the house, which suffers from various threats, is the roof, which represents the highest protection of every home. Because the roof is the one that suffers the most, it must be taken care of, and every homeowner should make sure that the shield of the home is not breached.

Check regularly

Preventive action is always the best solution for upcoming problems, especially when it comes to roofs. Immediately before the problem occurs, it may be noticeable that something is wrong with a part and that there is a threat of a malfunction in that part. If the roof is being checked, you should avoid stepping on it as much as possible because it is not designed for that, and it can easily happen that the tile breaks from the pressure if you step in the wrong place. The best option would be to find a place from which you can look at the entire roof and that it is nearby so that potential defects can be noticed. In addition to the fact that walking on the roof can damage the tile, it can also be very dangerous for those who do not know the job. Falling from the roof can have great consequences with huge injuries, and it can happen in a second or if a person stands in the wrong place. On the other hand, skilled roofers have experience and the necessary tools to handle the job properly, so leave it to them. 

Maintenance

Regular maintenance of the roof can be a great saving, and it is possible to avoid major defects that easily occur if minor defects are not repaired in time. If several roof tiles crack during heavy rain, water can penetrate the interior of the roof and the house and cause major problems, such as the wooden pillars being flooded or soaked, which will accelerate the process of deterioration. The experts providing roof repair in NJ say, all this is a chain reaction that only leads to bigger problems, and regular roof maintenance can easily avoid this. Maintenance can be done once a year, but if it is a place where the roofs are affected by weather, it is better to do it several times a year, as it all starts with a simple repair and replacement of damaged parts.

Ventilation

Many people do not think that ventilation, in addition to its basic function, can have many other positive effects on the whole house, especially on the maintenance of the roof. After the rain and the high heat, which is usual during the summer heat, a large amount of moist air is created, especially on the roofs. Moist air cannot be prevented from entering the interior of the roof, the cooling of which creates droplets and water in liquid form, which nevertheless find their way to penetrate inside. The appearance of molds is then inevitable, and they spread very quickly, causing the failure of tiles and internal elements of the roof that keep it stable. With well-done ventilation, this problem is prevented because all the moist air that penetrates inside will be immediately drawn away through the ventilation. The appearance of mold can have other bad effects, most of all on the family that lives in that home. Various breathing problems can occur, the most common being asthma.

Gutter flow

One of the main purposes of the roof is protection from water coming from above, but water can also create a problem if it stays on the roof. To avoid this, the roofs were built in a pyramidal shape, and the gutters were placed around to prevent water from spilling in all directions. There are quite a few cases when the gutters are blocked and water starts to pour on the roof, so you should take care of them and check them regularly. In the gutters, it is easy to see the obstruction from a good perspective, so it is necessary to remove it before the first rainfall. It can also happen that the gutter breaks in certain places or that it comes out of its position, which also leads to a problem that needs to be solved.

Cleaning

A lot of roofs are falling apart due to lack of maintenance and the dirt that appears on them. Of course, roofs cannot be cleaned in the same way as the approach to the house can be cleaned, but if there is a disturbance or larger debris on them, it must be removed. This mostly applies to mold and algae; if it is noticed that it has appeared, it must be removed before it spreads over the entire roof. To carry out this cleaning, it is necessary to use a hose with water, protective gloves, and a mask with the help of a mask since it is about substances that can cause respiratory problems and various diseases. The water pressure is quite sufficient to remove the obstructions, but it is also necessary for the person doing the cleaning to be extremely careful because it is a dangerous job at a great height, and especially if the roof gets wet, anyone can easily slip. It is also important to avoid washing roofs at high temperatures, as this can lead to a whirlpool, and when the water dries quickly, stains may remain on the roof. A large amount of shingles can fall on the roof in autumn, and in combination with the rain, it is very difficult to remove them. To avoid this, it is necessary to remove them in time, and a rake is the best way to do that. When using a rake, care should be taken not to hook the tile and pull it with the rake, as it would be easily removed.

Documentation

Given that the roof must be maintained and accounted for during its lifetime, it is necessary to record every repair that will be carried out on it. The reason for this is that, before each repair, it would be possible to read where the work has already been done to enable those doing the repairs to know what was done and what condition the roof is in. This documentation also serves as a reminder because the date when the last repair was performed is written. The documentation must be kept by the person who performed the repair, and all the methods and works must be noted in it, including the parts of the roof where the repairs were performed.

The home should be protected and maintained, especially those parts that are most sensitive. Regular roof maintenance will prevent major damages that can be very expensive and the home will be safe.