How to Maintain Your Roof?

In order to maintain your roof, there have to be regular inspections. Seasonal or yearly checkups will lengthen the life of your roofing materials, preventing leaks that lead to damage, costly repairs, and horrors the necessity for a complete roof replacement. Roofs are designed to weather all kinds of storms, but there is going to be some wear and tear.

So be sure your roof is ready for the next big storm by following these helpful tips on roof protection.

Your roof is a champ. It beats back the heat, withstands hail and snow, prevents rainwater from leaking into your home. Every day, your roof is faced with a new combination of weather, raging elements, and fluctuating temperatures. Still, as roofs are weathered and age, they become damaged, losing a shingle here, leaking there, which may result in a potential roof repair.

Roof repairs can be tedious and expensive, especially when the problem or damage has been allowed to fester. Untended leaks can invite mould into your home, and loose shingles can be symptomatic of a greater structural issue. Sometimes, our roofs seem to be so subtly damaged that it comes as a shock when a costly roof replacement is deemed necessary.

If you have any questions about roofing repair, damaged shingles, roofing home improvements, or your roof system in general, please call Pacific West Roofing. We’re happy to guide you through the best solutions for you and your home. Check out our range of roof restoration services here. 

Ways to Avoid Major Roof Repair

As a homeowner, familiarizing yourself with your roof can dramatically decrease costly repairs and increase the longevity of your roof. Doing simple roof maintenance tasks helps you catch a problem in the early stages of damage and helps prevent damage from ever occurring.

We’ve got five ways you can easily maintain your roof, reduce your overall roof costs, and help your roof live a long and healthy roof.

Perform a Total Evaluation of Your Roof

What material is your roof made of? How old is it? Who repaired it last, and why was it repaired? Has it ever been replaced? When? It can help to compile a little folder on your roof that includes all of this vital information. It is important to track work done to your roof as past issues can be symptomatic of future problems.

Furthermore, it is important to track how certain repairs impacted your roof in the long-run so you can make more informed maintenance decisions in the future and avoid a costly roof repair.

Roofing contractor performing an evaluation on the the Northern VA roof to prevent roof repair knowing your roof’s age and status can help you make an educated decision should damage occur.

A brand new roof that is leaking may simply have a gutter issue, whereas an old roof that is leaking may be harbouring a more profound issue. Though you should check both young and old roofs for the same issues, older roofs are more prone to certain problems, such as rusting, cracking, and mould.

When an old roof is displaying these symptoms, a roof repair or a total roof replacement may be considered.

Part of knowing your roof is checking it frequently, especially during the change of seasons. You want to intimately know your gutters’ status, your flashing, your shingles, your vent pipes, etc. Understanding the current status of your roof will help you spot trouble early on.

You want to know what healthy looks like for your roof, so when signs of damage start appearing, you can easily identify them. Looking for a roof replacement? Check out Top Glaze for a wide range of roof services.

Consistently Clear Away Debris

Your roof already shoulders feet of fallen snow, barrages of hail, and screaming winds–it shouldn’t have to fight the elements while being burdened by debris. Help your roof protect you by actively cleaning away debris.

Northern Virginia homeowner cleaning gutter to prevent gutter repair and roof repair debris often collects in your gutters and the valleys of your roof. Clogged gutters can cause a draining issue that leads to rusting and leaks.

Clogged gutters can also jeopardize the integrity of the gutters themselves: the constant strain and overflowing water can unfasten your gutters, exposing vulnerable parts of your roof and further inhibiting drainage. Cleaning your gutters ensures your roof properly drains.

Debris collected in the valleys of your roof also creates a draining obstruction. Not only does the debris itself add unnecessary weight to your roof, but it can cause pooling of rainwater or snow, further straining your roof and risking buckling. When water pools, it also promotes the growths of mould, moss, and rot.

You can clean debris by hand, with a leaf blower, or even with a soft broom or brush. The key is to remove the debris gently without applying unnecessary force.

Remove any Moss

Moss grows easily in wet and humid climates, as well as in the shade and on hard surfaces… Essentially, your roof is the ideal place for moss growth.

Northern Virginia roofing contractor removing moss from homeowners roof though it might not seem sinister at first, moss growth can cause incredible damage to the integrity of your roof.

Moss will infiltrate beneath your shingles for extra shade and then grow, expanding and pushing-up your shingles. As the shingles are pushed up, rainwater gets, causing leaks and rotting your decking.

With the shingles flared upward, they’re more susceptible to being torn off in the wind. Furthermore, if you happen to have asphalt shingles (the most common roofing material of homes across America), moss will wear down the shingles themselves, accelerating the breakdown of your roof.

Moss also creates better traction for debris, causing your roof to hold onto debris that would otherwise slide off with rain. With the combined collection of moss, debris, and rainwater or snow, the buildup on your roof is sure to cause rotting or leaking.

There are a wide variety of roof cleaning products that are available to you. Some are sprayed onto the roof, where it breaks down the moss chemically, and then the residue is left to be washed away in the rain. Others require the roof to be washed, where the chemical is spread across the roof, and then the moss is brushed away with ease. Take a look at our range of roof repairs Melbourne.

Don’t Neglect Your Attic

Paying attention to your attic can also dramatically increase the health and longevity of your roof.

It may be easier to spot certain issues with your roof in your attic, such as leaking. Keeping an eye out for dark spots on your attic walls and ceilings can help you catch a leak in the early stages, preventing the water from rotting and mold from growing.

You can also easily look for missing shingles or any other kind of exposure by scanning the attic ceiling for daylight, a sign your roof has thinned or has a hole.

Attic insulation contractor inspecting Northern Virginia attic on top of checking your roof’s physical integrity, you want to also check your attic insulation. Ensuring your attic is properly insulated can better maintain the health of your roof.

For instance, in the winter, and under-insulated attic will cause heat to escape. The escaped heat then melts any standing ice or snow that is then refrozen as temperatures drop. This constant cycle of freezing and thawing can impede drainage and cause water to permeate your roof.

By checking your attic, you’re checking the vulnerable underbelly of your roof. Knowing the health of your attic will help you more accurately diagnose the needs of your roof.

Schedule Regular Maintenance with a Roof Repair Contractor

Hiring a Northern Virginia roof repair contractor to check on your roof ensures you have a roofing expert overseeing your roof’s status.

Roof repair contractor performing regular maintenance on roof local roof repair contractor will know the finer details of roofing damage and roofing structure. A professional will know what to look for.

When a professional sees a problem with your roof (one a layman may not have taken notice of), he/she will be able to determine the cause and provide you with an immediate solution. A professional roofing contractor is like a guardian angel for your roof.

Furthermore, working on roofs can be dangerous. If, for whatever reason, you are uncomfortable ascending your roof, play it safe and call a professional. Something as minimal as a once-a-year inspection by a professional can dramatically reduce the risk of roof damage and subsequent a costly roof repair.

Proper Roof Power Washing Is Not a DIY Job

Never assume you can rent a pressure washer and manage roof washing on your own. There are many reasons why properly cleaning a home’s roof is not a DIY job; note a few of those reasons here:

• Trying to balance on a roof is dangerous on its own; trying to manage a clumsy and powerful pressure washer while standing on a sloped and slick surface is very difficult and virtually impossible for those not experienced in roofing. Falling off a roof can result in serious injury, if not even a fatality.
• While balancing on a ladder is also difficult but a bit more manageable with a power washer, spraying roofing tiles from below can loosen their nails and staples. Those shingles might then be more likely to come loose in high winds and strong storms! Spraying shingles from below can also result in dangerous and bothersome splatter.
• A proper and thorough roof washing takes some skill and expertise to reach dirt and debris hidden between the cracks and crevices of roofing shingles or disguised by the dark colour of those tiles. You cannot watch “how to clean roof shingles” videos and learn all there is to know about roof washing! A professional pressure washing contractor will know how to clean around chimneys, vents, flashing, and other such features of a roof, thoroughly but without damaging those areas.
• Using too much pressure when washing a roof can loosen the granules on shingles, causing those tiles to become thin and brittle. You can even loosen old and loose shingles or blow shingles right off a roof with too much pressure from a power washer!
• A professional power washing contractor will know the right detergent or surfactant to use on a roof to dissolve dirt and grime without drying out the shingles and causing damage.
• It’s best to leave roof washing to a professional exterior house cleaning company, or someone experienced in roof washing and cleaning for all these reasons.

Why Power Wash a House

Your roof cleaning cost is an investment in your home’s structure and condition, as is power washing of your home’s entire exterior. Note why it’s good for every homeowner to have their home pressure washed regularly:

• Consistent cleaning of the home’s gutters, windows, exterior walls, pool deck, and outside concrete and paver stones can restore the colour of painted concrete, brick walls, and paver stones and remove unsightly streaks and dirt from exterior windows. Regular cleaning then enhances a home’s overall curb appeal, making those surfaces and materials seem new and in good repair.
• Power washing a house reveals areas of needed repair, just as it does with a roof! Cleaning a home’s exterior walls can reveal cracks in the brick or tears to aluminium siding. Simultaneously, power washing concrete driveways and walkways can also reveal cracks, chips, and other such damage.
• Built-up dust, dirt, mud, silt, grit, and grime can soften and otherwise damage brick, concrete, and patio stones. Dirty windows become thin and weak over time. Regular washing of these materials prolongs their life and reduces the need for otherwise unnecessary repairs.
• Power washing a home’s gutters removes built-up debris and grime that causes clogs. Clogged gutters allow rainwater to splash over their sides, damaging a home’s exterior walls and foundation. Clean gutters are especially important in tropical areas or those prone to heavy, frequent storms to avoid this water damage.

Hiring a Professional Roof Cleaning Company for Your Home

Regular, professional roof power washing will restore the overall appearance of your home’s roof, removing built-up soot, grime, dust, and other debris, as well as various stains and areas of discolouration. Roofing shingles and tiles will then look fresh and vibrant so that your entire home seems cleaner and newer.

A soft wash system will also remove algae, mould, moss, and mildew that is typically unreachable with a standard hose or pressure washer. The detergents and surfactants used during a soft pressure washing are meant to penetrate all nooks and crannies of a roof, dissolving dirt and debris trapped under shingles and around roof eaves. Low-pressure rinsing won’t strip away loose tiles or granules on the shingles themselves while still protecting those tiles from damaging storm residues.

A thorough power washing also reveals areas of damage along the surface of a roof. A home’s roof might have soft spots, indicating the need for structural repair, hidden underwater stains or layers of soot and grime. A professional cleaning reveals damaged areas so that repairs can be made promptly, preserving the home’s framework and avoiding roof leaks and eventual water damage.