|
Roof Maintenance!
The best roof maintenance that one can do is preventative! Perform regular inspections to identify and solve problems as they occur. Roofs get more abuse from the elements than any other part of the building, and preventative maintenance is a key element to saving money by providing a longer service life. This section will provide some general guidelines to help keep yours in good working condition for as long as possible. Shingles Wood and Asphalt: Keep all debris off the surface. Debris has a tendency to hold water, and water will expedite deterioration, especially if yours is asphalt based such as a built-up roof or asphalt shingles. If your roof is starting to collect moss or algae, install some zinc or lead control strips. Check all flashing and make sure that they are not deteriorated and there are no holes in them. Keep algae off of the surface. Install zinc control strips along the hips and ridges if necessary. Dab some roof cement under any loose shingle tabs. One dab on each side should do. Replace any damaged shingles. Keep all gutters free of debris and make sure that the downspouts are draining properly by water testing them. Trim back any overhanging tree branches. Check the open valley metal for rust. Wire brush the rust then prime and paint the metal. If rust is everywhere, you may need to replace the entire piece. Check all caulking and sealants. Scrape and remove any caulking that is weather cracked and damaged. Clean the area thoroughly. Use a wire brush if necessary. Reapply with a polyurethane caulking or equivalent. Check the mortar on chimneys, both in between the brick and on top. If it’s damaged or deteriorated, have it tuck-pointed. Any mason can perform this work. Single-Ply Roofs: Remove all debris from the roof surface. This includes vegetation, dirt, loose nails and screws, unused equipment, etc. With a single-ply roof, you have only one layer of protection, so if a nail head gets stepped on and penetrates that one thin layer and then eventually there will be a leak. Check the seams. If they are coming apart, then they need to be patched as soon as possible. Check all flashing and make sure that they are not deteriorated and there are no holes in them. Check the edge metal. Make sure that it isn’t separating at the seams. If it is, then the repairs need to be made as soon as possible. This can usually be done easily by yourself or by any local qualified contractor. Check for bubbles and blisters in the roof. Do not step on them. These can be slit from side to side and cement troweled into them and then a coat is applied directly on top to seal it up. Clean out and refill any pitch pockets where the filler is cracked and/or shrinking. Keep all gutter free of debris. Make sure that the downspouts are draining properly by water testing them. If they don’t drain properly, call a plumber and get them working properly. Drains will often leak if they are holding water. Trim back any overhanging tree branches. Check all caulking and sealants on flashing and copings. Scrape and remove any caulking that is weather cracked and damaged. Clean the area thoroughly. Use a wire brush if necessary. Reapply a polyurethane or equivalent. Check the mortar on chimneys both in between the brick and on top. If it’s damaged or deteriorated, have it tuck-pointed. Any mason can perform this work.
Go to roof / ventilation!
I built this site using all the tools from Solo Build It. Click on the Site Sell Target below to see how you can too!
Webmaster!
|
