If you own a home, dealing with roof maintenance is an important part of your life. There are things you can do to prevent needing to have expensive roof repair work done on your home.
Avoid Expensive Roof Repair with These Tips:
- Start with the right roof. The lifespan of a roof should be at least two decades or longer. If you have to deal with a roof replacement, carefully consider the materials you use for it. You can greatly reduce your energy costs by using the right roofing materials for your roof, this can cut 30% from your heating and 40% from your cooling bills. You can use materials that will reflect 65% of the heat from the sun. Many rooting contractors use Energy Star products which are much more energy efficient. Having a great roof put in can be on the best things you do for your home.
- Pay attention to your roof. Regular and properly done maintenance is the key to protecting your roof. At least once a year you should have the ventilation system checked and cleaned. Check the gutters once a year and clean out any debris. This can cause problems along the gutters themselves but will also cause water to pool at various areas and can lead to leaks. You can avoid needing roof repair caused by what look like small problems by dealing with them when you see them. Deal with small leaks before they can cause large problems. Use a high quality sealant around exposed pipes. Take some time to inspect all of your roof. Check the valleys on your roof and clean out any debris and check for missing shingles.
- Water test your roof. At least once a year, enlist your friends and try a water test. You need to wait until it is dry. Walk around the roof and spray with a hose. Have someone else walk through the attic and look for leaks. If you wait for a bad rain storm to do the same thing, you will be asking for a catastrophe. If you find a leak, put a nail through it to make it, You should then take a look at all of the leaks you may have found and decide how you will deal with them. Small leaks today, if left unfixed, will become larger problems tomorrow. If you are not comfortable fixing these problems yourself have roof repair general contractors come give you an estimate.
- Protect your roof from ice. If you live in an area that has real winters, you should protect your roof from ice buildup. You can use shields to keep the ice from building up but another thing you need to do is keep your ventilation systems clean and clear. Install a drip edge to keep icicles from forming along the edge of your roof.
- Pay attention to your roof. If you spot shingles falling off, look at that part of your roof. Make any small repairs as soon as you find there is a problem. You may be able to avoid an expensive roof repair by fixing problem areas sooner.
- Watch the growth of trees and bushes around your home. If the tress in your yard are older, it is worth it to have them pruned every year. These trees make your yard look great but can turn into real problems for your roof if their branches get weakened by time and weather. It may not take as much as you think to make a branch into a projectile that can do some real damage to your roof or other parts of your home during a storm.
Your roof is an extremely important part of your home. It is also something that people notice about your house. Keeping it in good shape takes some time and work but is worth it. Keeping it properly maintained can save you money by preventing you from needing to do costly roof repair and save you money on your energy bills. Dealing with your roof may not be the most fun part of owning a home but the decisions you make on roof maintenance will make a real difference.
