You might want to think about all the sound coming from your roof. Your asphalt shingles might have a hand in making this sound. Asphalt shingles get weakened over time and if not maintained properly, water may start seeping into your house. Keep a regular asphalt roof shingles maintenance schedule and they are likely to protect your house till its natural lifespan. Stay in touch with a roofing contractor for roofing maintenance.
Seasonal Maintenance of Asphalt Shingles
Roof maintenance is a difficult task but it is also an essential one. It must be looked after all year round and especially when the season changes. Small tasks performed at the right time would certainly make your roof go a long way. Here are some seasonal tips for your roof maintenance checklist:
1. Early Fall:
In some areas, the summer season is followed by a month or two of the early fall season. This is the right time to tick some things off from your seasonal roof maintenance checklist and to prepare for the upcoming winters. The first thing that you must do is finish all the summer jobs of roof repairing. The harsh winter does not leave much room for any repairs hence you must be prepared beforehand. Second, clean the debris or sludge from the gutters so that water can be driven away from the roof and house smoothly.
2. Fall:
After one or two months when the fall season finally arrives, it is time to inspect the roof one last time before winter. Climb a ladder to access the roof and work on:
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- Thorough cleaning of gutters and removing debris, dirt, leaves and broken branches from the roof.
- Apply a layer of moss killer on your roof. It can either be in the form of any liquid or zinc-based powder.
- Power-wash is never recommended for your roof. Either clean it by hand or with a broom.
- Make sure all shingles are in place and secure especially at the very peak of the house.
- Make small repairs which may include fixing flashes.
3. Winter:
Accessing the roof during winters is a dangerous situation. It is better to inspect your roof from the ground level for any roof leaks. Look out for these signs in the winter season:
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- Regularly check the roof from the attic by using a strong torchlight and flash it towards the roof to spot any leakage during or after rainfall.
- Keep your gutters clean from ice-dam build-up. Ice-dams in gutters can cause water overflow which is dangerous for the foundations of the house.
- Contact a roofing company if you see some serious damage to the roof. Do not put your life in danger by trying to do it yourself.
4. Spring-Summer:
Once the winter season is gone and when the weather gets pleasant, start all the roof maintenance projects for instance,
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- Cleaning of gutters and removal of debris.
- Perform all the roofing tasks that you could not do in winter. Some of the shingles might need to be replaced.
- If you are planning major roofing projects such as roof replacement, installing new gutters or rebuilding chimneys, etc, then mid-summer is the right time to do them.
Signs That Your Roof Is Damaged
Roof damage can only be contained or stopped if noticed earlier. Therefore, it is important to develop a habit of keeping a regular check on your roof. Noticing warning signs earlier can save your house from complete roof replacement. There are many ways through which you can assess the condition of your roof.
Exterior Inspection of your house
i. Missing Shingles: Missing or loose shingles give way to water which starts seeping into the house. These shingles must be replaced immediately before they cause more damage to the house.
ii. Missing Flashing/Boots: If the boots or flashings around vents and chimneys are not aligned then it may become a problem in a few months. The metal flashings and rubber boots must stay in their place to prevent water from seeping into the house.
iii. Curling Shingles: Curled shingles is also another sign of roof damage and can be noticed from outside of the house. When shingles curl, it is a sign that they have completed their life span and need to be replaced immediately.
iv. Smooth Shingles: Regular power washing of your roof can cause the shingles to lose their granular surface. You might see granules building up in the gutters with every wash.
Interior Inspection of your house
i. Discoloration of Walls: Brown or black spots forming on the inside of your ceiling shows that your roof is leaking. Leaking water through the shingles causes these spots.
ii. Blistering Paint: It is a possibility that the water build up in the walls causes the paint to take the form of a latex balloon. After fixing the roof damage, you need to pop these blisters. Once the damage has been controlled, replace the drywall.
iii. Cracks in Walls/Ceilings: When the foundation of the house is damaged, walls or ceiling start to crack. It shows that there is an underlying structural problem behind these cracks.
How to Repair a Leaking Roof
Leaking roof is a common occurrence in households where the homeowners do not maintain a seasonal home maintenance checklist. Eventually, they have to contact roofers to repair the roof. Therefore, you need to keep your roofs in check and avoid any more damage. If you spot a leaky roof, here some tips for you until you get in touch with roofers.
Tips to Spot Leakage
- You might not immediately see water dripping into your house. Rather, first, you would witness ceiling spots and damp walls. If this happens, take it as a serious sign of roof damage. Water leakage starts once when the roof has gone through enough damage. Other than that, your attic might also smell moldy or wet. Take a trip through the attic to find a leaking spot.
- To find the exact area from where water is leaking, crawl in the attic with a strong torchlight over the surface. Once you find the leaking area, train your eye upward to the leaking area above you. This might be the point where water is leaking through the roof.
- To be certain that you have the find the right spot for water leakage, let your partner run a water hose over the leaking point. It might take hours before new spots start to form but once they have, you can be sure with your assessment.
- After locating the leak point, climb a ladder to access the roof. Remove the shingle from the damaged area using a flat pry bar. While removing the shingle, do not damage other shingles.
- To stop the damage, place a new shingle and cement it with roofing nails covered with roofing adhesive.
Final Word
A roof can cause the most costly damage to the house, therefore, it cannot be ignored. Seasonal roof maintenance is the ultimate guide to save money rather than to neglect it and end up spending a whole lot of your savings on getting a new roof. These simple and easy repairs can help you save money and time as well.
King Builders and Services offers one of the best Chicago roofing services for Asphalt Shingles roof maintenance. Call us today to book a free consultation for home maintenance.
