Fall Roofing Maintenance Tips

What does a home's roof and its crawl space have in common? Lots of homeowners don't even know they're there, much less check them out occasionally. The roof is a house's front-line defense against the effects of harsh sun and weather. It needs maintenance to keep it viable and to protect the structure from water damages.

An asphalt shingle roof is the most commonly used material and is good for perhaps 20 years. Some materials, such as metal roofs, last up to 100 years. Others, such as architectural shingles and tiles last up to 50 years. Typically, shingle roofs need upkeep at least twice a year. 

Homeowners who have bought an existing house should recognize the time factor. If the previous owner had the roof replaced or repaired, then the present homeowner needs to perform yearly maintenance to keep the roof viable. If the roof is nearing the end of its usefulness, however, the homeowner should have a new roof installed.

Homeowners are generally afraid of climbing a ladder and walking on the roof to maintain it. That's understandable, and this is the first reason why they call roof professionals like NKS Construction to maintain it. However, homeowners can perform some maintenance jobs themselves without climbing on the roof. 

You'll need a ladder, a garden hose, but most of all, you'll need your eyes. Here are some fall roofing maintenance tips you can do before calling in the roofing services professionals.

Look

The first of the roofing tips we as professionals want you as a homeowner to know includes having you stand in your yards far enough from the house to be able to see the whole roof. If you have binoculars, use them to get a close look at the roof shingles. Shingles are designed to reflect the harsh sunlight back into the atmosphere and still sustain damage from the sun and weather. Here are the signs they are nearing the end of their lifespan:

• Curling, buckling, and blistering

• Loose or peeling back from chimneys, vents, and other places

• High amounts of granules in the gutters (granules are part of the material in shingles that add weight and protect them from the sun's UV rays)

• Water damages inside the house

Homeowners seeing these types of damages should call their roofing professionals as soon as possible to avoid major damages to the house.

Moss and Lichens

Heavily shaded homes and cool, moist air grow moss and lichens on roofs. Moss is thicker than lichens (a cross between algae and fungus,) but both hold water against a roof. This weakens the roofing material, allowing water to get beneath the material. This spells bad news for the inside of the house. It's also unsightly.

Moss and lichens can be cleaned from the roof, but it takes a roofing services professional to do it. Depending on how long the moss and lichens have been on the roof, the underside of the roof material could be weakened. The shingles could be separated and or curling or fraying. You need a new roof.

You don't want to walk on the roof to rake off the moss and lichens. Raking it could damage the shingles. Cleaning a weakened roof beneath the shingles from moss and lichen growth should be left to the professionals. It should be done twice a year at least. This will prevent further damage to the roof.

Gutters

If the roof is a house's first defense against harsh weather, the gutters are the second. When rain and snow fall off the roof, it runs into the gutters. If it didn't, the water would slide down the outside walls of the house. It would puddle around the foundation as well as finding its way into gaps in the walls. Water damages indoors are the result.

When leaves, twigs, and other debris collect in the gutters, the water from the roof can't get to the downspout. It puddles and then overflows the gutters. This will also allow water to get into the house through the walls and foundation. Indoor water damages ae the result.

Here's where you'll need a ladder and the garden hose. Seat the ladder securely on the ground, and have someone spot you to keep the ladder secure. Clear out all the leaves, twigs, and debris from the gutters. Make sure any debris is cleared away from the downspout and catcher. Now run water from the garden hose from the beginning of the gutter to the downspout. 

If the water dribbles out of the downspout, then you'll know it's clogged. Using a telescoping tool, you'd use to dust high ceilings or perhaps a plumbing snake, clear the downspout. Make sure the water is flowing freely. 

If the catcher is up against the foundation, you might want to add a length of hose to drain the water away from the foundation. A gutter guard would also be a good idea, but you'll still have to clean them twice a year, at least to ensure flawless operation.

Trim Trees

Those trees that shade the house in summer and considerably affect the power bill turn deadly to the roof in fall and winter. Storms blow leaves, twigs, and branches onto the roof. Not removing them weakens the roof by trapping water beneath them. They also damage the shingles. Branches falling onto the roof from the weight of snow can cause expensive repairs down the line. 

Homeowners won't have to climb on the roof to remove these leaves, twigs, and branches. Professionals are trained to cut overhanging tree branches as a routine part of roofing maintenance. They know how to cut a branch so that it doesn't fall on the roof where it could damage the roof. 

Three to eight feet away from the house is the accepted clearance professionals cut back your tree branches. They know to cut in a way that the tree doesn't come out looking lopsided. They're also trained to safely clear the roof of leaves, twigs, and branches.

Conclusion

We at NKS Contracting are roofing professionals that can look at your roof and tell if shingle damage is a threat to your house. We'll check the gutters and tree limbs over the roof to ascertain their danger to the house. If repairs can save the roof, we'll tell you so. We'll also tell you if the roof is too far gone or too old to keep. Our priority is saving you money on damages done to the house from a faulty roof. Call us today at 919-701-6504.

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