A change of seasons should be your alarm clock to check your roof for any recent changes. Catching a problem early can mean spending a few hundred dollars to fix your problem instead of thousands of dollars repairing your roof.
For safety reasons, such as falling through a weakened roof, first check the roof from inside the attic. Be careful getting up the attic stairs and when coming down. A second set of hands to hold ladders is always a good idea.
Once in the attic, look around for vermin, who may attack only because they feel confined, threatened or startled! Droppings are the second thing you should look for since nocturnal rodents may be sleeping in their favorite hidden nook.
In case you have an infestation, do not take the chance of getting bitten, scratched or startled that you hurt yourself in such a small space. You need a pest control business to better assess your situation before you proceed.
Watch your head.
Push up on the inside of every part of the roof you can reach. Check for weak boards that may be past their prime. If you would have walked on that section you may have hurt yourself.
Do you see any bowed plywood? Any rotting wood? Any dark lines going down the wood that were caused by roof leaks?
Do you see any rusted nails? Small leaks due to humidity, water or contraction and expansion during bad weather could have reached the nails. This is the beginning of the end for that section of your roof.
Check around the roof vents from inside the attic. If you can, feel if they are still very firmly attached to the roof or have weakened. Water marks around the vents may mean they need more water sealant.
A handheld moisture meter will also help you discover small roof leaks.
If you have an electric attic fan, have someone turn it on and off to see if there is a short in the wires. Vermin could have eaten through a portion of the wiring creating a fire hazard.
Time to go outside to get on the roof. Bring your ladder, friend and a good pair of shoes.
Or time to review roofing members because you don’t do roofs. It is better for you to be safe than sorry. There are other roofs you can be repairing as the professionals repair your home roof.
Again, have someone hold your ladder, even though you were careful to put the ladder feet on very solid ground.
When you reach the roof line, inspect the gutters for loosened nails or screws. Leaves blocking the water flow makes the gutter pipe heavier than some screws can handle. Gutter companies have options to repair or improve your gutters to both beautify your home and for weather functionality.
Water flowing behind the gutter as it lays up against your roof line can wreak all kinds of roof and wall havoc. Inspect the gutter all the way down not just where you put the ladder to get on the roof.
Push the leaves out of the gutter. Try not to push them on your friend holding the ladder or you will need to get a new friend. You need your friend to hold your ladder to inspect other areas of your roof.
Do you see any mold, algae or fungus growing around the gutters or shingles? A simple spray can clean them and their green and black stains. Mix the solution and spray on using a pressure sprayer. Nature takes care of the rest!
Any extra precautions you thought about doing in your preparation stage should be implemented now to reduce the likelihood of an accident.
Get on the roof at the safest point, taking into consideration the angle of your ladder, the angle of your roof and where you would land on the ground should you fall.
Once on the roof, still tread carefully since there are areas that you weren’t able to test from inside the attic. Wear non-slip shoes because the shingle granules can prevent you from getting a good footing while you make your inspection.
As you move up the roof, look for any roofing shingles or materials that are not full pieces or are out of place. Notice any pieces that are not in line with all of the other roofing materials.
If you find one that is out of place, gently move it to see if it needs to be nailed back into place. Should the piece come out completely, look under the pieces next to the open area to see if they too are in the process of coming loose.
Be very careful as you repair that area because your presence on other roofing materials can jar them loose. You don’t want to be creating more work on your roof, especially if the roof is at an angle.
Do you see any areas where water may have been getting under the roofing materials to work its way into your attic then down inside walls?
Better to take your time and inspect everything while you are on the roof. Patience and attention are two traits you need.
Inspect the roof vents carefully. Look for disintegrating roofing shingles but don’t pull them up too far or you will create a problem.
Look for leaks around the vent cap where it meets the roofing shingles. For less serious leaks, you can install a boot cap over your existing vent pipe with caulking to seal along the base.
If the vent has a cap, inspect the cap. During Katrina people lost a lot of caps due to the high winds. Some caps never made it home.
Turbine ventilators allow air to enter and exit your attic to keep moisture and mold collecting, plus escaping hot air cools the attic which in turn keeps your home cooler. Inspect your ventilators in case a bird or other vermin have been leaving their mark.
Rushing a roof inspection can end in tragedy. You can go here to view our list of roofing companies that show their Builder Talents. Another option is to click on the Submit Project Quote for us to send a few roofing companies to your rescue.
Start from the top of the roof and work your way down the seams of your roof. Be careful not to be too rough where you stand, as always, since roofing shingles may not be your friend. Tread lightly and carefully.
Buy extra roofing shingles and materials in case your roof does need small repairs in the future. Roofing shingle colors and materials change often as styles and quality improvements. You know luck means what you need for your roof has been discontinued at the time you want or need to make the repairs.
A backup plan is to clean your asphalt or wood roofing shingles with Roof Brite Restore to bring back the luster of your roof colors. This may or may not work on your particular roof, but spraying a solution over the tiles then rinsing with a fan nozzle, or letting rain work its magic, could get you the results you want.
In case your materials are not available anymore, call a Builder Talents roofing contractor member to inquire about them having what you need in their inventory. Start with the roofer who put your latest roof on your home.
To make your roof not only beautiful, help it become efficient too. Solar panels are an option if your roof faces the sun with enough space to put several solar panels.
No better place to get more information about Solar Panels than companies who install them. Yes, there are state rebates, but the rules and regulations to qualify are in flux as of this post. Contact our several Solar Panels companies as well as the state to get the latest information.
