A roof isn’t something you much think about until you’re buying a home. Then, of course, you want to make sure you know how old the roof is because that will determine how long you have before it will need to be replaced. However, some new homeowners don’t realize that they need to maintain their roof in order to give it the longest life possible and protect their house from costly damages. If you live in the Midwest, your roof is withstanding widely varying temperatures and weather changes every year, so it’s even more important to not only do yearly inspections but to check your roof after extreme storms.
What Kind of Maintenance Does Your Roof Need?
For the most part, your roof maintenance will consist of checking your roof for signs of damage, at least once a year. We recommend hiring a Northern Illinois roofing company to give you a solid inspection but, if you’re knowledgeable, you may be able to inspect and make some minor repairs yourself. If you can’t make minor repairs, you can at least find problems so that you can call an expert to fix them as soon as possible.
You should inspect your roof every spring to determine if any damage was done over the winter months. A thorough yearly inspection is a good practice and will alert you to areas that may need to be watched or repaired in the future. Some things to look for on your inspection:
- Missing or damaged shingles. Any area where shingles are missing is an area that needs to be repaired immediately. Other issues with shingles might include buckling or cracking.
- Cracked caulk. You want to examine all of the caulk on flashing to make sure there are no cracks and there’s no area where water can be getting into the structure. Other indications of interior damage may include mold growth or moss.
- Grit in gutters. Your gutters will collect dirt and grit. If you don’t clean them enough they can even grow foliage (but you’d really have to be lax in your upkeep for that). The grit we’re talking about here is the colored grit or sand-like substance from your roof tiles. Finding an abundance of that in your gutter means that the shingles are no longer protecting your roof adequately from the elements and it may be time to think about replacing the roof.
- Gutter health. Gutters and downspouts should be checked and cleaned out during your yearly inspection. Once you’ve thoroughly cleaned the gutters you can inspect the gutters to determine if there are any damaged areas that need to be repaired or replaced.
- Interior inspection. Any dark spots or cracking in ceilings may indicate water from faulty areas on the roof. Be sure to check your interior as well as the roof itself.
If you’re looking for a Northern Illinois roofing company to inspect your home or repair damages, contact Apex Exteriors, Inc. for service you can trust.
Last Updated on April 15, 2017 by ApexRoofingServices
