Fall Roof Maintenance: How to Inspect Your Roof

Extend the Lifespan of Your Roof

Completely replacing a damaged roof with a new one can cost you a fortune, and not everyone wants to spend their money on costly roof repairs every few years. Rooftop problems can often go unnoticed until the symptoms appear, or on the contrary, you have to be dealing with nuisances daily.

To stay ahead of roof damage, practicing regular inspection and cleaning is vital. Consider these fall roof maintenance tips to keep it in great shape for years to come.

Inspecting the Interior

Look around your home for the following:

• Damage caused by water, such as peeling or bubbling paint, and stains on walls and ceilings.
• Damp areas around a fireplace.
• Sagging areas on the underside of the roof.
• Stains on pipes that vent through the roof.
• Water or moisture accumulation anywhere else it shouldn’t be.

Inspecting the Exterior

Check to see if there are:

• Deteriorated, loose, or missing shingles.
• Broken or loose gutters or downspouts.
• Any debris on the shingles or leaves in your gutters.
• Rust spots or stains on flashing.
• Damaged or broken seals, cracks or signs of debris in and around chimneys and vents.
• Evidence of damage caused by animals such as rodents, birds, insects, and others.

Handling Gutter Problems

If you find gutter-related problems, this is what you can do:

• Insert a hose from the top opening and flush downspouts with water.
• Manually remove any loose debris, then flush the gutters with the hose.
• Repaint the wood trim around the gutters and roof as needed to prevent wood rot.
• Trim to prevent abrasions caused by overhanging branches and limit rodent access.
• Seal off any openings where animals can gain access (use caulking, screening, among others., as appropriate).

If you come across severe problems, you should contact a certified roofing company immediately. The longer you wait, the more severe the problem can become. Moreover, if you don’t have safe access to your roof or a do-it-yourself attitude, we firmly suggest contacting a local roofer like Horn Brothers Roofing.