Most people don’t realize the importance of maintaining their roofs. In this post, we at Bay 101, will give you some helpful tips for an initial DIY roof inspection.
The DIY Roof Inspection
Several factors affect the useful life of your roof. The most common are usually changes in temperature, rain, hail or snow. Also, ultraviolet radiation, moisture and the accumulation of debris such as leaves or tree branches affect your roof’s integrity.
Inspecting your roof at least a couple of times a year will help you foresee the adverse effects that environmental and climatic conditions can have on your roof. Spring and autumn are the ideal seasons to check that everything is ok on the roof and anticipate future problems.
At Bay 101 Roofing, we’ve compiled a series of relevant topics that you must review before you carry out an initial visual roof inspection on your own. Take the ladder, secure it to the ground and once you are on the roof follow the next steps:
Check the Roof Shingles:
If a roofing tile is curled, split or loose entirely, you should repair it immediately.
Lift the tile and check if there is underlayment between the roofing shingles and the roof decking. In case it’s missing, you will need to install it from scratch.
Remember that the base layers protect the roof from the damage caused by water accumulation on that surface.
Curled or cracked roofing shingles are the result of age and environmental conditions. Before they start to filter water, it’s better to replace the roofing shingles with new ones.
Also, pay attention to granular erosion in your roof shingles. That is a sign of deterioration that you will have to fix soon.
Check the Roof Flashing:
Valleys are vulnerable to leaks. Once you get up on the roof, check for cracked roofing, holes, failures or any metal flashing in the roof valleys.
Take a look at the step flashing at the walls and around chimneys. Check that there are no gaps between them.
Make sure there is no flashing damage around vents and other roof penetrations. Remember that each of these openings must be wholly hermetic and sealed with flashing boot, bituminous roofing cement or flexible caulking.
Check the Roof Gutters:
The presence of small roof granules in the gutters is a clear sign of granular erosion on asphalt roofing shingles. Check the downspout system as well as the roof gutters and make sure they are clean and working correctly. Gutter obstructions usually accumulate water under the roof tiles and end up rotting the fascia boards.
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Remember to be careful when climbing the roof to conduct your roof inspection. Safety comes first! Please always keep that in mind before and during these DIY projects for residential repairs.
Please note that our suggestion is leaving this task in the hands of professionals who will identify any roofing failure and give recommendations to perform a proper roofing maintenance.
Want to know the good news? At Bay 101 Roofing, we perform your roofing inspection at no cost at all. Request your FREE ROOF INSPECTION NOW. Contact us!
