How to Keep Your Roof in Perfect Condition?

A faulty roof can cause severe damage to your home. The stream of water that infiltrates your drywall can lead to unwanted moulds and rotting of the wooden frames that are made to support your house. A damaged roof should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent further issues.

However, it is beneficial to know what necessitates roof repair or the need to install a new roof. The attention to roof maintenance is also important and may prevent bigger issues in the long run.   

If you’re working on a budget, and your roof needs minor repairs, you may be able to fix a simple job yourself through thoughtful planning. But not every issue is as forthright as it appears.

What may seem like basic patchwork might actually need a major reroofing replacement, which will require the service of a professional. Before undertaking any repairs, it is essential to ask for a full inspection and quote because new roof costs may vary due to the different types of the roof each house has.

The reality is that not a single human being on planet earth wants to get their roof repaired or replaced. Roof installations can be costly, and depending on the property’s size, it can take weeks to complete.

The best way to combat roofing problems is to schedule regular checks for leaks or any other wear and tear type. Being mindful of your roof’s performance can save your roof from needing total restoration and prolong your roof’s life. 

If you’re not a professional roofer, it’s probably not wise to climb on your roof. If your roof is damaged, you may be susceptible to falling through the decaying roofing material. Be sure to read the precautions on your ladder if you think you can inspect your roof. Sport rubber sole shoes to avoid slipping or misstepping on the shingles. Harnesses and working with a friend, son, or other family member is safer for both of you. Take a look at our range of roof repairs Melbourne.

Tips to Make Your Roof Last as Long as Possible

Clean the Gutters

Ruined paint on siding and a wet basement are typical problems caused by clogged gutters, but it might surprise you to learn that the overflow can also go upward. When leaves pile too deeply in gutters, water can wick into roof sheathing, rot it, or even rot roof rafters.

Clogged gutters are one of the most popular causes of leaky roofs.

Gutters that have not been cleaned lead to the build-up of water, especially during the wintertime when there is heavy rain. If there are any leaves, dirt, or other debris in the gutter, your best bet would be to call the best roofer in your local area to come to take a look.

Just make sure they don’t charge for inspections or estimates. Some roofers do charge for this initial service.  

Fixing that kind of damage could run into the thousands of dollars, but you can avoid it by cleaning your gutters each fall and spring. Do it yourself in a few hours if you’re comfortable working on a ladder, or hire a pro for $50-$250, depending on house size.

Remove Leaves

If you have a simple peaked roof surrounded by low landscaping, your roof probably stays clear of leaves on its own. But if the roof is more complicated or if towering trees are nearby, piles of leaves probably collect in roof valleys or near chimneys.

If you don’t remove them, they will trap moisture and gradually decompose, allowing moisture to accumulate in your roof — or worse, create fertile ground for weeds to grow.

If you have a low-slope roof and a one-story house, you may be able to pull the leaves down with a soft car-washing brush on a telescoping pole. Or you can use a specialty tool like a roof leaf rake, which costs about $20. A leaf blower gets the job done, too, especially on dry leaves, but you or a pro needs to go up on the roof to use it.

If leaves are too wet or too deep, you might need to wash them off with a garden hose. Don’t use a pressure washer, which can force water up under the shingles. We have a wide range of Melbourne roof replacement services at Top Glaze.

Get Rid of Moss

In much of the country, composition roofs often become covered with black algae. Although unsightly, this filmy growth doesn’t hurt the roof.

A little chlorine bleach or detergent mixed with water will kill it, but it’s safer for both you and the roof to just leave it alone.

If you live in the Northwest, you’re likely to find moss growing on your roof, particularly on wood or composition shingles. Moss, which looks more three-dimensional than algae, needs to go because it traps water. If you tackle it early enough, you can just sweep it off.

If there’s a lot of buildups, you may need to kill the moss first. It is recommended to use products based on potassium salts of fatty acids rather than more toxic formulas with zinc sulphate.

Even so, apply the soap only where moss is growing, and try to keep the wash water from getting into storm drains.

Once the roof is clean and free of moss, consider investing in zinc strips to keep it from coming back. For about $300, a roofer will install strips near the top of the roof. When it rains, the runoff from the strips inhibits the growth of moss.

It’s effective and more environmentally friendly than treating the entire roof with pesticide, as long as you don’t live near a stream or a lake where the runoff can harm aquatic life.

Trim Overhanging Branches

A little prevention in the form of tree-trimming goes a long way toward keeping leaves and moss off your roof and keeping your roof damage-free.

Abrasion from limbs and leaves that touch your roof can eventually damage shingles, especially in high winds.

Overhanging branches also give squirrels and other rodents access to your roof.

They can gnaw on your roof and siding. Branches need to be 10 feet away from your roof to keep these pests at bay. If that’s not possible, wrap the tree trunk with a sheet-metal bank to prevent them from climbing the tree.

Trimming branches that hang over the roof is a job for a pro, though, or you might cause more damage than you prevent.

Inspect Roofing Materials

Cracks in your roof can lead to needing a roof replacement. This is something that can be prevented with a regular inspection. Some roof shingles are made in China and therefore cheap. These low-cost shingles may begin to crack after they’ve been nailed down.

Unprofessional installation with nails and shingles can also play a big part in leaky roofs. If the roofer nails them to the point where they penetrate too deep, the shingle will react and turn upwards.

This is why it’s important for roofers to double-check the materials they purchase before climbing on your roof.

If the merchandise is faulty, it’s better to take a trip back to the manufacturer or retail store than to have a low-quality roof that will only last a couple of years.

Just an FYI – all roofs should come with a warranty. Top Glaze has a wide range of Melbourne roof restoration services. 

Check Your Valleys

Another common place for leaks is your valleys. A valley is where the intersection of two roofs join together. It is also referred to as a ridge because it’s where the two roofs meet at the highest point of your home.

Since valleys catch water rushing down two roof planes, they are common places for roof leaks.

Wear and tear caused by the constant sloshing of water, ice and snow buildup, or from stepping on the roof is why leaks transpire.

This is why all valleys should begin with a leak-proof underlayment system. This underlayment will provide additional protection for your shingle or metal valley detail.

Practice Sensible Pest Control

The lovely trees found throughout Georgia bring fall colours, but they can also bring pest problems, including squirrels, bats, mice, and rats looking for a warm place to live once winter temperatures set in.

Once they find a way inside, they chew apart your roofing material to make the entryway larger, and they can also destroy insulation and wiring, cause moisture damage, and introduce bad smells and bacteria by way of their food and droppings. All entry points should be sufficiently covered or repaired in the fall to safeguard your home against these unwanted visitors.

Trim the Trees Hanging Over and Near Your Roof

Similarly, after the storms of summer, dropping temperatures and winter winds can knock loose branches free. In turn, these can break shingles and even damage your roof. Prevent problems by having your trees trimmed before cold weather sets in.

Improve Interior Insulation

Sometimes roofs aren’t damaged from the outside. Instead, condensation from below rots beams and supports that keep your home stable. Make sure you do an interior inspection every fall to prevent interior moisture from causing a problem.

Check Your Siding for Signs of Damage

Finally, whenever siding has a problem, it can affect your roof — and vice versa! During a roofing inspection, give your siding a quick once-over to make sure panels and soffits are securely in place.

How to Prevent Roofing Leaks?

When you suspect that your roof is leaking, the time to act is now, not later. If weather permits and you have safe access to the roof, jump on this issue before other areas of your home are damaged.

If the roof is icy, wet, covered in leaves, or otherwise unsafe, call in a roofing company. They have harnesses and other safety equipment that permit them to walk on unstable roofing surfaces.

The best way to prevent roofing leaks is to buy quality roofing materials from an experienced builders supply company. In order to get the most out of your warranty, your contractor will need to ensure your roof is protected against leaks. In this blog post, we will go over the 7 ways your contractor can prevent a leaky roof and maintain warranty coverage.

To learn more about how you can avoid roofing leaks in your home, be sure to consult with a roofing supply store.

Install Waterproof Barriers

Prevent leaks by installing waterproof barriers for roofs at eaves, vents, chimneys, dormers, skylights, and other areas prone to leaks. Like the name suggests, waterproof barriers prevent water from being able to seep through your roof to cause water damage, mold, and mildew.

Install Pre-manufactured Flashing

Prevent roofing leaks by installing pre-manufactured flashing along all roof openings, such as chimneys, dormers, and skylights. Roof flashing is specially designed to direct the flow of water away from vulnerabilities in your roof.

Install Roof Deck Protection

Install underlayment (roof deck protection) to help shingles lay flat. Otherwise, water will be able to get underneath curling shingles. An underlayment will also protect your shingles from being damaged by wind-driven rain.

Ventilate Attic

When’s the last time you measured the humidity or temperature in your attic? You may be surprised by how much warm air escapes from rooms on the first and second floors. Since heat rises, you’ll need to make sure it won’t get trapped in your attic.

Make sure you ventilate your attic to decrease temperature and humidity levels. A residential shingle roof will leak if the attic is not adequately ventilated. The more hot and humid your attic, the more likely you’ll discover mould and mildew.

Install Hip and Ridge Cap Shingles

Protect the roof from wind damage by installing hip and ridge cap shingles. The added benefit of installing these types of roofing shingles is that they add curb appeal to your home. Why not kill two birds with one stone?

Inspect Skylights

Inspect skylights to make sure there’s no water coming in along the edges of the window. Due to their construction, skylights have a reputation for letting water into your home. When installing your new roof, it’s good practice to replace your skylight at the same time.

The latest skylight designs have better energy ratings and will save you money in the long run.

Avoid Competing Warranties

Install roofing products from the same building supply store to prevent conflicting warranties between different types of roofing products. The last thing any homeowner wants is to have two warranties competing when there’s a repair that needs to be done.

Timeliness is of the essence when repairing a leak, which is why you don’t want to waste time having two different companies pointing fingers at each other for who should pay.