You might not give roof inspections much thought, but they should be a critical task on your home maintenance checklist. Here’s why.
It’s not really common to think about the roof over our heads, but it does a fantastic job of keeping the weather and pests out of our home and giving us protection. It can, however, suffer from damage and general wear and tear much like any other part of our home.
Whether it’s adding character to your home or helping to protect you from the weather, your roof is an important component of your home that has to be taken care of. So in this article, we’re going to take a look at the importance of roof inspections and how often you should ideally be examining it.
What makes roof inspections so important?
The roof is a part of our home that serves many purposes. It helps to keep water away to prevent leaks, it protects us from adverse weather and it also keeps pests away. However, any one of these safeties can easily be compromised if the roof is damaged and the issues will only get worse over time.
For instance, a cracked shingle could indicate that your roof is starting to wear out. These cracks can expose weakened areas of the roof which can be broken by adverse weather or persistent pests and rodents that are trying to get into your home. This issue will only get worse as more tiles or shingles start to crack. Other issues include mold or lichen which can spread very quickly over your roof, and any dips in your roof could start to pool water which leads to leaking.
How often you should be inspecting your roof
Ideally, you should be examining your roof every 4 to 6 months when the weather has calmed down. However, if you’re in an area with strong weather or have experienced several recent storms, then checking more frequently is never a bad idea.
How to inspect your roof
There are a number of ways to ensure that your roof is always in top condition. However, the recommended method is to always have a professional to do it for you. You should consider speaking to experts such as ddroofing.com for more information because examining it yourself does involve climbing up to the roof which can be incredibly dangerous.
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when checking your roof:
- Always make sure you are not climbing onto your roof alone. Always have someone holding the ladder or helping ensure that you are safe when you inspect it
- Look for broken or cracked shingles and tiles and consider replacing them as soon as possible
- Remove any patches of moss and lichen that you can find
- If there’s debris on your roof, wash it away and ensure it doesn’t clog your gutters
- If you have asphalt shingles, check your gutters for debris and ensure they are not clogging it
- Patch up any cracked or rusted spots if possible
- If you notice any pests or rodents building nests, aim to get rid of them as effectively as possible
With these basic maintenance tips, you’ll find that protecting your roof is easy, quick and will save you a lot of hassle in the future.
Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."
Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.
Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
This blog celebrates all things home.
