Your roof is a crucial part of your home. While it’s easy to put out of mind, your roof should be inspected regularly. Roof repairs can be straightforward, but if damage is ignored, a small roof problem can turn into a huge, costly project. A damaged roof can extend to the roof boards, insulation, interior ceilings, and even to your walls. Inspections should be done about once a year to ensure the most efficient maintenance of your roof. The task of inspecting your roof may sound a bit daunting, but it’s actually not very difficult. The key is knowing what to look for when you do a basic inspection of your roof.
Interior:
Your inspection should begin inside, ideally in your attic. From there you can look over the interior of your roof for signs that the exterior might be damaged. First you should look for light shining through the roof. This can indicate damage or wear and tear to your roof shingles. It’s best to conduct this part of the inspection during the day, ideally in the spring or summer when there’s more sunlight. It’s also important to look for obvious water leaks. Listen for dripping water or look for small drops or streams coming through the top. Inspecting for leaks is most easily accomplished on a rainy day, but there are other signs of leaks you can look for when it’s dry out. Keep your eyes peeled for dark spots or trails,which indicate a leak. Water stains will look dark, and can be hard to see if there’s no lighting in your attic, so be sure to bring a flashlight if need be. These dark stains could be sign that you’ve had a water leak for some time. You might also see puddles or stains on the ground, which could indicate a larger leak.
Exterior:
Next you’ll want to inspect the exterior part of your roof. Safety is of the utmost importance when inspecting your roof exterior, so make sure you take all the proper safety precautions to prevent you from injuring yourself. Once you’re safely on the roof, the first thing to look for is damaged or missing shingles. This kind of damage can lead to serious leaking, but if caught early enough, replacing shingles is a relatively easy fix. If you can’t tell for sure whether your shingles are worn or in good condition, you can check the gutters for hints. If your gutters contain excess amounts of shingle grain or residue, it could indicate that some or all of your shingles should be replaced. Another important thing to look for on the exterior is moss buildup. Over time, moss can cause serious damage to your roof. It can displace shingles, or wear them out much quicker. The moisture in moss can also be a problem for your shingles.
Know your shingles:
The type of shingles on your roof will wear out at different rates, and also show different signs of aging. Asphalt shingles “shed” their granular coating over time, and start to warp and curl when they’re getting too old. Cedar shingles can last multiple decades, but are
prone to rotting and warping. They are especially vulnerable in humid or rainy climates. As a rule of thumb, 30% or more damage to your roof indicates it’s time for a replacement.
Is Your Roof Up to Snuff?
If you believe that you’ve found some problems, the last thing you want to do is ignore them. Ridgeline is skilled in all aspects of roof maintenance and repair. Contact a local kelowna roofing company today to schedule a free assessment. Often, if you catch problems early enough, you can address them before they turn into a large, expensive issue.
