Long Island Roofing: Article About Keeping Residential Roofs Happy With Maintenance
Roofs can sustain dry rot without taking direct water damage. Insufficient ventilation is the primary cause of such degradation, and lack of airflow can even make a roof sag as the plywood breaks down over time. Most roofers cure this problem by installing a simple ridge vent to complement your existing soffit vent.
Long Island roofer answers a question: How often does my roof need professional checkups?In most cases, roofs last for years without requiring examination by professionals, but it's a good idea to obtain an expert assessment anytime you notice an issue. No matter how minor such problems appear, visible defects like leaks, dry rot and missing shingles are often indicative of widespread problems that you can't see, so it's critical to investigate in detail.
Roof upkeep is one of your most important responsibilities as a homeowner; if you fail to take care of the top of your home, it's impossible to maintain the rest of your property. While there are a great many tasks that you'll want to leave to the professionals here at Long Island Roofing, you shouldn't wait for things to get really bad before checking in with us. Here are some of the basic roof health assessments that you can perform on your own.
Springing a roof leak is one of the biggest worries a homeowner can imagine. Unfortunately, these breaches may be difficult to pinpoint, especially with sloped roofs that incorporate repetitive shingles. Even though your holes should be patched by pros, you can make their job easier and ensure more accurate results by getting a better idea of the problem at hand.
Spraying a roof with a garden hose is the quickest way to search for leaks. Of course, you'll want to avoid doing this when winter freezes are possible, but during warmer seasons, you can climb up a ladder and squirt some water around in different areas to pinpoint defects. Have someone inside the attic mark the places where water emerges so that your roofer can pay extra attention to those spots. If your geographic region will experience storms before the issue can be fixed, this is a great way to determine where to place temporary patches to prevent the massive spread of water damage and hopefully avoid even costlier repairs down the line.
A roofer from Long Island Roofing can answer any question you have about shingle roofs or GAF roofing materials.
Water can cause roof materials to degrade, but dry rot also takes a toll. Even if you believe your roof is properly ventilated, you should perform thorough visual examinations of areas like the soffit and any edge flashing to make sure they're not rotting. Simply walk around your home and look for irregularities. In most cases, you'll be able to tell where problems are because you'll see discoloration, peeling or warping of structural elements.
During the winter, it's important to keep your roof ice-free. While it's way too dangerous to try and clear built-up ice following a storm, you can nip the problem in the bud by making preventative modifications. For instance, many homeowners install electric roof heaters that activate automatically to prevent ice accumulation with the help of a thermostat.
Heat tapes, ice shields, drip edges and similar ice-mitigating technologies are also critical because they keep gutters clear. Gutters and drains that fill with ice cannot support the constant weight, and they pull at structural elements, causing early degradation or sudden failures. In addition to targeting these high-risk areas during your routine maintenance, be sure to inspect valleys where different roof sections meet. These regions take the most stress from water and debris buildup, so they're prime locations for problems.
