With the fall weather, it's a good time to check on your roof! Here are a few simple things you can do to protect your property from any unwanted surprise roofing expenese.
CLEAN THE GUTTERS
It’s important to maintain clean and clear gutters on your home. Clear out any debris that has gathered in them over the winter months. You should also check the walls around your gutters and under the eaves for water stains or spots. This could be a sign that your gutters are not allowing water to flow freely to the ground.
TRIM YOUR TREES
Fall is a good time to inspect the trees around your house for branches that are weak or breaking. Any limbs that are at risk of falling onto your roof should be removed to avoid damage to your roof.
CHECK YOUR ATTIC
Scanning the attic is an easy task you can do on your own. Inspect the underside of the roof deck and rafters in your attic for water stains, black marks or mold and check the insulation in your attic for mildew. Finding mold or mildew could indicate that your roof has a leak.
Now that you’ve done this, you could also consider contacting a professional roofing contractor for a thorough inspection. For safety reasons, it’s not recommended that a homeowner get on the roof. Leave that to the professionals. When your roofing contractor arrives, they are going to:
EXAMINE THE SHINGLES
Inspect your roof for shingles that look loose, cracked, curling or missing. Depending on what they find, you might need to have some work done. It is best to let a qualified roofer make any repairs to prevent costly damage or even more extensive repairs in the future. For more information about different types of shingle damage check out this "How To Read Your Roof" brochure.
INSPECT KEY AREAS
A roofer will check the exterior of your chimney, skylights and plumbing vents for signs of damage and even wear to the boots and seals.
PERFORM A FULL ROOF INSPECTION
For your peace of mind and to avoid possible expensive future maintenance issues, calling an experienced roofer to perform a full roof inspection and maintenance is a good idea!