Regular maintenance by an Orlando roofing company will extend its lifespan and make it easier to find potential problems before they arise. To make the most out of your cleaning though, here are a few of our tops tips for spring cleaning your roof.

1. Clean Out Your Gutters

Even if you cleaned out your gutters in the fall, they’ll need to be checked again in the spring. During the winter, leaves, twigs, and other debris can blow in and get stuck in your gutters, so checking and cleaning your gutters should be your first step to cleaning your roof.

Gutters are always going to need cleaning, so it shouldn’t surprise you that you’ll need to work on them even in the spring. By getting them cleared out at the beginning of the season, you ensure that your draining system is working and there isn’t a risk of water damage or clogging.

2. Check Your Shingles

As the first line of defense, your shingles will take a beating over time. While your cleaning up your roof, don’t forget to give your shingles a good, close inspection to see if there are any that are loose or missing.

If you have shingles that are starting to curl, get them replaced immediately. You’ll also want to take care of any shingles that are beginning to buckle as this can cause moisture problems in the future.

3. Mold

You may have already had to deal with mold in your home, but mold can also grow on and in your roof. Fortunately, if you catch it early on, taking care of a mold problem won’t get too expensive or difficult. 

Inspect your roof closely for signs of mildew and mold. If you see any, call a roofing professional to take care of it as soon as possible. For mold that hasn’t grown too much, you can try home remedies, but you’ll want to call a professional as soon as you notice the mold continuing to grow.

4. Trim Branches

Do you have trees anywhere on your property or near your roof? Remember to trim those branches. Although it may not seem directly related to roof cleaning, trimming the branches on trees near your roof can protect it from a lot of damage. If a storm hits suddenly and those branches start to drop, your roof can really take a beating.

5. Look Around Inside

If you have an attic or crawl space below your roof, get in there and look around. Sometimes roofing problems can show from the inside before they show on the outside. 

While you’re inspecting your roof from inside, call a roofing company to come check if you notice any moisture or light where there shouldn’t be. Any smell or sign of mold from the inside should also be a cause for worry.

6. Get a Roof Inspection

Even if you think you’ve taken great care of your roof, it’s important to have it inspected by a professional company. Experts can detect problems before you can even see them and prevent a lot of unnecessary expenses in the future. With a roof inspection, you’ll also save yourself time and you can rest assured that they’ll spot issues that you may have missed.

Conclusion

Spring cleaning is a lot of work, but don’t be tempted to ignore your roof. Just like the rest of your house, your roof is important and needs to be cleaned regularly as well. The last thing you want is to ignore a sign of damage and have to deal with an expensive fix.

Roofs are also a significant investment and although they have to be fixed or replaced after many years, there are some things you can do to make them last longer. Check out these tips that Orlando roofing companies recommend. 

How to Make your Roof (Commercial or Residential) Last Longer

Clean Your Gutters Regularly

It’s a common problem that gutters get clogged up by various types of debris such as leaves and branches. It might be a chore to clean them up but if you want your roof to last longer, you might want to get your gutters cleaned regularly. 

Roofs are designed to keep water away and clogged gutters will just keep water stuck up there. Standing water will eventually lead to roof damage.

Avoid Power Washing

Power washing is great for cleaning dirt in an instant as the strength of the water can just push dirt and grime right off. However, the strength of that water pressure comes at a price. 

If you want your roof to last longer, it is not advisable to power wash your roof shingles. The shingles are specially coated with materials that make them great at what they do and the strength of the power washer can possibly remove that outer coating. 

Active Maintenance

Active maintenance means that you are on top of everything that could possibly go wrong with your roof. This may sound like a labor-intensive task but it really is one of the best ways to make sure that your roof can last as long as it can. 

Firstly, active maintenance involves fixing tiny problems right away. Tiny problems might not seem much at first but there are tiny problems that can snowball in the long run and significantly impact the longevity of your roof. 

Although it can be quite the chore, fixing those problems while they are tiny is significantly better and easier than waiting for those problems to become irreparable. 

Strengthen Your Roof

Roofs are sturdy structures that can hold up against typical weather conditions but if you live in an area that is prone to harmful weather conditions such as tornadoes, storms, and hurricanes, then it might do you good to invest in fortifying and strengthening your roof. 

This type of upgrade can be a significant investment. However, it is still cheaper than replacing the roof entirely in the event of a natural disaster. 

Hire a Professional

It is understandable that you might want to take on the challenge of installing and upgrading your roof on your own. Realistically though, you have to understand that while doing things yourself can save you some money, the quality of the result from your work versus a professional’s is completely different. As roofing professionals, we are equipped with the right tools, equipment and years of experience to do the job effectively.

Conclusion

Your roof is a significant part of your home or building and if there’s any way you can help make it last longer, you should. Listed above are just a few things that can help make roofs last longer so keep these tips in mind to make your investment last decades.

Old roofs are always going to be of concern. If the previous owners have kept up with maintenance on the roof by hiring roofing companies in Orlando, it could still be in good condition for many years to come. However, bad installation or poor upkeep could mean a roof replacement is very much in the future, and you need to look out for the shingles and tiles as well.

Before you put down your hard-earned money for a particular property, you most certainly need to check out the roof. 

What to Look for in the Roof When You’re Buying a Home

The Condition of the Roof

First of all, you need to know just how old the roof of your new home is. In fact, you need to dive a little deeper as the age will not tell you everything you need to know about the roof. 

Take a closer look at the roof, check for damages, bulges, bubbles, or any other distortions at the edges. Missing shingles or tiles are also indicators of poor condition. Do ask the seller about the lifespan of the roof. 

Depending on the materials used to construct the roof, there are differing factors that can contribute to the longevity of the roof.

Roof Cracks and Leaks

It is in your best interests to check thoroughly for any potential cracks or leaks in the roof. The last thing you want when moving into a new home is to have a leak in the roof. Aside from the repair works and the money spent, your overall living conditions will be affected as well. Furniture can be destroyed, and your walls will get damaged. 

Leaking can occur in many different areas, so it can be hard to pin down just where the source of a leak is. The earlier you can detect the problem, the better.  

Examining the Ventilation System

Depending on the weather and climate of the area you are in, a good ventilation system can be the difference between bliss and disaster. A good roof should be complemented by a good ventilation system. 

A properly put-together ventilation system will allow for sufficient sunlight as well as airflow, this will help prevent mold and water from building up. With poor ventilation, you are looking at potential problems such as structural decay and health risks for everyone living in the property. 

Check out the Seepage and Drainage Systems too

When we talk about the seepage and drainage system, this includes the various downspouts, gutters, and drainage pipes. 

The condition of these systems are oftentimes reflective of a roof’s overall condition. If you see small pieces of asphalt shingle grains, that could be a cause for worry. These small grains are vital in shielding the roof shingles from the sun, so if there is too much of the material, you might need to bring in an expert to handle the problem.

Conclusion

It is essential to take all the necessary precautions when buying a house, especially for the roof. If you are unable to do this on your own, hire a professional to inspect the home for you. This way, you can get a better understanding of your purchase, and plan for any repair works if need be.

Often overlooked, your roof is one of the most integral components to your home, and without it, you are in store for monumental complications to your house. To ensure that no damages befall your home and family, it is vital to ensure that your roof is in pristine condition. A lack of roof maintenance is one of the biggest causes of roofing damage. Roof Top Services of Central Florida, Inc. is one of the best Orlando roofers, who have won multiple awards for their customer service and product knowledge.

If you are looking to make sure that your roof is healthy, it’s crucial to keep in mind that the two contributors to roof damage are weather and time. If severe weather conditions don’t cause harm to your roof, then time will, which is why homeowners need to be vigilant and knowledgeable of the vulnerable portions of the roof, as well as, being able to identify damage.

The Necessity of a Healthy Roof

If you let your roof succumb to the elements, it will continue to degrade over time as the damage becomes irreparable. Leaks can result in further erosion of your home’s structure as it can harm drywall and create electrical risks if water makes its way to your wiring. As your roof’s integrity becomes compromised, it also hurts the insulation of your home which can increase your heating and cooling costs. It is easy to fail to see the importance of your roof, but when you look at how it affects your house overall, the necessity of a good roof becomes clear.

Know the Structures

Before you can even identify problems with your roof, you need to know what it is supposed to look like when it is healthy. Familiarizing yourself with your roof and its components are crucial to keeping your roof in perfect health.

• Drip Edges – Often made of aluminum or sometimes plastic, drip edges along the edge of the roof to reduce runoff.
• Valleys – Channels formed when slopes in a roof meet forming a V shape which is susceptible to leaks.
• Flashing – When your roof has angles and joints that meet in valleys, protective pieces of metal known as flashing are often placed to reinforce the creases.
• Felt Underlayment – Beneath the layer of shingles, felt underlayment forms a protective barrier from leakage making its way through the tiles.

Types of Damage

Now that you are familiar with how the elements of your roof are supposed to function, you can adequately recognize symptoms of an unhealthy roof. If you notice any of the following telltale signs of damage on your roof, contact a professional immediately to prevent further problems.

• • Loss of Granules – Your shingles have granules on them which protect them from harsh weather. Over time you will notice the granules begin to loosen and fall off of the tiles. They often wind up in the gutters which can cause water to build up which eventually seeps into the roof.
  • Missing Flashing – After you have familiarized yourself with where your flashing is, if you see flashing missing from your roof, you are now at risk for leaks through the creases in your valleys and joints.
  • Missing Shingles – Easily identifiable, when you spot shingles missing from your roof, the felt underlayment is exposed, which makes it easier for water to make its way in.
  • Exposed Nails – As your shingles go missing, the nails beneath them can become loose and exposed. This creates an opening for water to come in through the holes that the nails were originally in.
  • Water Damage Inside – If you start to find spots of water damage in your drywall or ceiling, it is highly indicative of roof damage.
  • Drastic Change in Heating/Cooling Costs – As damage to your roof gets worse, its ability to properly insulate your home decreases. You will notice your heating and cooling costs rise substantially as your air conditioning system has to work harder to compensate.

Take no Risks

Your roof is one of the most crucial structures in your home, and you should never take it for granted. If you encounter any of these revealing signs of roof damage, act immediately and have a professional provide you with assistance.