Roofing Maintenance Tips

When we think of home maintenance and design, we tend to look everywhere but one place – the roof. Although it takes up 40 percent of the visible portion of our homes, we often neglect this vital area and, as a result, find ourselves with leaks. Or worse, needing to replace our rooftop – something we definitely want to avoid. In today’s blog post, we will look at some home roofing tips to ensure the top of your home stays as fit as the inside!

The change of season is fast approaching and now is a good time to take a good, hard look at your home and make sure everything is on the up and up. When was the last time you performed a little home maintenance? Is there anything you can do to perk up your curb appeal? These are all common question homeowners should ask themselves at the change of each season.

Another important area to look at is your roof. Like every other part of your home, it requires a little TLC from time to time as well. While most homeowners look for “signs” that a roof needs repair before performing any maintenance, we suggest checking your roof at the change of every season, whether or not signs of damage occur.

Aside from a leak in your ceiling, some signs that your roof might need repaired include:

  • Finding water in your attic or crawlspace after a heavy rain
  • Cracked, loose or missing shingles
  • Mold or mildew on shingles
  • Wear and tear of shingles, including curling at the corners or bare spots
  • Water stains on the walls or ceiling inside of your home

If no immediate signs of damage or roof leaks are visible, grab a ladder (if you are comfortable undertaking handyman tasks) and climb up on the roof with a water hose. Spray the rooftop and look for any sign of a possible leak. While you are up there, inspect the roofing material for the issues above. In addition, inspect shingles for signs of improper installation. If your previous roofer installed shingles with nails, make sure that the nails are not pushing back up. If so, this could lead to a leak.

For homes with poor ventilation, dry rot can be a problematic issue for roofs. This occurs when plywood underneath roofing material begins to deteriorate, causing a sag in the roof. This, in turn, can lead to cracked or damaged shingles, which can let water seep in.

Finally, an easy piece of roof maintenance you can perform is to clean your gutters. When drainage gutters get blocked up with debris, they can lead to water build-up, and, eventually, a roof leak.

If you suspect your roof has a leak or you are considering a whole roof replacement, give the professional remodeling team at Tracy Tesmer Design/Remodeling a call. With decades of experience in the home remodeling world, we have tackled every home project in North Georgia imaginable.