Basic Roof Maintenance Tips for the New Year

The roofing system of your home or business is the first line of dense against the elements and helps protect you and your family and your possessions from weather-related damages. It is important to take care of your roofing system and to be sure you are choosing the right roof and care routine for your roof and your area. To make the most of roof maintenance tips for the new year you need to understand what your roof does and how it reacts to weather events in your area!

“Extreme weather was a major factor in raising roofing sales and production numbers in 2016. Keith Lowe, Vice-president of Sales for IKO, said, “This was one of the largest storm years we’ve had in the past four years, and the demand for roofing was definitely up. We anticipate this momentum to continue into 2017, as we don’t expect storm activity to slow down.” Storm data statistics from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concur noting that 20,237 significant storms were recorded in 2016. While that’s a slight increase from 2015 (19,172), it represented the highest number in about three years and it was sufficient to cause disruption in the asphalt shingle supply chain. If you’re planning to replace your roof, please consider the climate changes you’ve experienced lately in your area and select the right asphalt shingles for those evolving conditions” (IKO)

Roof Maintenance Tips for the New Year

There are many things you can do to prolong the life of your roofing material and prevent leaks, additional damage or even the dreaded replacement. It is the start of a new year so we here at Stay Dry Roofing wanted to share some basic roof maintenance tips for the new year!

Inspect Your Roof
You should be inspecting your roof at least twice a year. You also should be doing some kind of inspection and check up on your roof after every major storm to check for damage. Use a pair of binoculars to conduct this twice yearly exam. Avoid walking on your roof unless absolutely necessary because you can damage the shingles, panels, and tiles of your roof by walking on them. If you must get on the roof, wear rubber-soled shoes, secure the ladder so it doesn’t slide, and use caution so you do not slip and fall.Replace Missing Materials

To prevent additional damage like leaking water damage, further wear and tear, and damage to the lower roofing supports, you need to do everything you can to replace broken or missing roofing materials as soon as possible. This is one of the most important things you can do to keep up with roof maintenance tips for the new year. A weak spot will allow the elements free access and most likely more material will break loose. Without it being taken care of, small damage and quickly grow into bigger and more severe issues that cost more to replace!

Do Not Power Wash
Many homeowners make one big mistake when it comes to roof maintenance tips for the new year. They think that getting rid of mold and mildew and stains from their roof with a pressure washer is a good idea. This, however, is not a good idea at all, and it will often lead to bigger problems and even worse damage. The pressure from a power washer can cause unseen damage and drive water in under your shingles or tiles, blazing a path for future problems. It’s best to talk to the roofing experts at Stay Dry Roofing for ideas on how to clean your roof.

Remove Debris
Another way to get started with the best roof maintenance tips for the new year is to tackle the debris outside of your house as well as inside. Clear the roof and gutters of leaves, branches and other debris. Gutters and downspouts need to be kept clear so the water can flow off your roof freely. If they are clogged with leaves and sticks the water can back up and pool on the roof where it can leak into the home as it soaks into the shingles. Leaf debris the accumulates on the roof can hold water and can cause mold and moisture to begin rotting the roofing material.

Trim Trees
Trees and branches are serious culprits for roof damage so another one of the important roof maintenance tips for the new year is to address issues with your trees and landscapes. Branches leaning over the roof can break and fall during a heavy snowfall or during a bad storm. Branches rubbing against the root and eves and tear off shingles and fascia and damage the roofing system. Having a lot of trees around your home can also lead to a lot of work removing leaf debris every week. If you need help call in roofing professionals or tree care experts to cut your trees back.

Talk to the Experts
If you spot potential roofing problems, call the experts at Stay Dry Roofing as soon as you can. Our professional team brings years of experience working with tile, shingle, shake, metal and other popular materials on everything from residential to commercial projects. No matter how big or small your roof is or how big or small your needs are we are here to help!  Call us today to get started and to see for yourself what we can do for your roofing system and to see how we can make roof maintenance tips for the new year a simple task to check off your to-do list!