It’s easy to forget about the roof. They’re made to last for long periods of time so we put them in the back of our minds to worry about ‘sometime much later.’ But we can’t forget. Roofs are an extremely important part of any building and if you want to maintain the integrity of your properties as a whole you need to maintain their covering.
Roof inspections are recommended twice a year, around spring and fall when you’re prepping for the changing weather. You can hire a professional to make sure your roof is in tip-top shape and you can also do some inspections yourself. How can you determine if you need to start thinking about repairing or fixing your roof? Here’s what to look for when doing a simple spot check-
Cracked shingles
Shingles are falling off or missing
Edges of shingles are curled
Shingles have bald spots and granules are missing
There are dark stains on sections of the roof or you see moss growing
Areas of the roof are sagging
One look and you can tell it needs replaced because that roof is not pretty
Once you’ve looked over your roof for these obvious signs of wear-and-tear, it’s time to inspect potential problem areas that aren’t so visible-
If you have a wood roof, check for damage from wood-boring bugs
Make sure the seals around vents, pipes, and chimneys are still secure and have no leaks
Clean and inspect your downspouts and gutters. These need to be securely attached and when you’re cleaning them out, see if there are any granules from your asphalt shingles as this can indicate age and wear.
Go into the attic and check for water damage and that all air vents are ventilating properly.
These instructions obviously apply to sloped roofs with asphalt, clay, or wood shingles. Many of you have flat roofs. If this is the case, winter is going to be the most dangerous time for your roof and so you should inspect it more frequently during this season. When inspecting flat roofs, look for-
Bowing. Bowing will be most noticeable where you have large puddles of standing water. This is where the roof support is caving.
Leaks. These are difficult to find in flat roofs but do all you can to spot them early.
Ice and snow. Snow will add weight that your roof doesn’t need so remove it when several inches have built up. You will also need to get rid of ice dams from drains and vents.
Finally, the seams and flashing. Everything needs to be watertight with no cracks.
