Fall is in full spring in New England and winter is very quickly approaching. You know what that means, soon our roofs will be battling the elements until temperatures start to warm up. We can count on rain, hail, snow, dangerous winds, ice, and very cold temperatures to be ravaging our area soon.
Although most homeowners probably do not look forward to roof maintenance, it is something that must be done to ensure your home is protected throughout the year. In addition, there are many different opinions on roofing and other home improvements. As your local roofing experts, we are happy to provide you with a comprehensive guide to fall roof maintenance.
How do I know if my roof needs maintenance?
Although roofs, whether they are asphalt shingles, metal, slate, EPDM, or modified bitumen, are designed to last many years, that does not mean they are able to go that time without any maintenance. In fact, all kinds of roofing should be inspected and maintained regularly in order to stay protective in their agenda of keeping your home moisture-free – well, moisture coming from above, that is.
So, if you own a home, you can count on the need for your roof to be maintained and inspected. In particular, homes that are ten or more years old will need special attention.
What does roof maintenance entail?
Roof maintenance can mean many different things. However, in the fall the most important task this can accomplish is to prepare your roof to handle the winter weather that is ahead. Here are some of the things your local roofer will consider when preparing for fall roof maintenance.
Cleaning your gutters
Gutters are very important to help keep water flowing from the roof to downspouts and appropriate disbursement locations away from the home. Clogged gutters can cause serious problems with your roof and even your home if the issues persist. When considering fall roof maintenance, we are particularly concerned regarding ice dams when the temperatures begin to drop.
Ice dams form when water begins to accumulate and freeze at the eave of a roof. Once the water is unable to drain and temperatures drop, ice forms and expands which can cause damage to the roof itself, fascia, soffit, and even the interior of the home. Failing to clean gutters can cause much more extensive and costly problems when this situation occurs.
Schedule a fall roof inspection from a local, experienced roofer
Although this is an often-overlooked part of general homeowner maintenance, fall (and other times of the year) roof inspections are very important for the longevity of your home and roof. Local and experienced roofers are evaluating, replacing, and repairing roofs every day and understand exactly what to look for to ensure roofs are in good, working condition.
In particular, we want to focus on having experienced, reputable, and recognized roofers doing inspections and work on your home. Unfortunately, in many states, it does not take much to ne recognized as a home improvement contractor. Due to this, some individuals may be certified to do work as a contractor but have no business actually doing so. When hiring a roofing company to perform a roof inspection, here are some things you should focus on:
Reviewing roofing company Google reviews
In 2022 and beyond, every business you should consider must have a Google presence. Make sure you read the reviews of the roofing contractors you ask for estimates or inspections to ensure others have had success utilizing them for their services.
Ensuring licensure and insurance certification
Yes, we did mention that many contractors, good and bad, can obtain licenses to do business. However, you should still absolutely prescreen to make sure anyone stepping foot on your property is properly licensed and insured. To protect yourself, please make this a prerequisite to do any business.
Social media presence
Although this is somewhat debatable, we believe that in 2022 all service-based businesses should have valid and active social media pages. When they do it means that the contractor is willing to stand behind what they do and are excited to showcase their services.
Referrals
When considering hiring a roofing contractor, we recommend asking your closest family and friends if they have had success with any local roofing companies. If they have a positive experience, you can likely expect the same for your job.
Schedule any necessary repairs before bad weather
After your inspection is over, local roof inspecting companies should provide a document with pictures and remediations of any concerns they have with your roof. From there, we recommend scheduling those repairs as soon as possible to make sure that they are complete before the weather worsens. Since our local roofing experts have completed thousands of inspections, repairs, and replacements, we have some ideas on things they may find in our fall roof maintenance guide.
Degraded Roof Boots
This is a very common issue we find all the time when performing fall roof maintenance. The rubber roof boots serve their purpose well for years; however, they frequently begin to break down at about the 10-year mark after initial installation. Although worn roof boots can cause issues for homeowners, they are an easy fix for seasoned roofing contractors.
Clogged or pulled away gutters
We did mention gutters when discussing fall roof maintenance earlier, but we want to make sure that you’re aware of the problems these can cause. Clogged and pulled-away gutters are another frequent find on our roof inspection checklists.
Missing roofing shingles
Roofing shingles often come loose and fly off homes during poor weather. As soon as you notice missing shingles on your home, we recommend calling a local roofing contractor to have that portion tarped or repaired. In addition, missing shingles can mean that you may be eligible to claim the damage on your homeowner’s insurance. This means that a new roof or your roof repair can be covered by your insurance company.
Damaged roofing shingles
There are many different problems that we encounter when we are inspecting individual roofing shingles on homes. We may see cracked, brittle, hail damage, curled, or thinning roofing shingles. Most of these signs mean that your roof is wearing down and aged to the point that it should be replaced soon. The exception to this rule is hail damage. Similar to missing shingles, hail-damaged shingles are often eligible to be claimed on your homeowner’s insurance. For roofing insurance claim guidance, be sure to contact us to get all of the information you need to make a decision on this topic.
Homeowners and commercial building owners alike can agree that protecting their property investments is one of the most important parts of their jobs. To ensure that homes and buildings are water-tight for the poor winter weather, fall roof maintenance is key. Guaranteed Roofing is a local roofing contractor with years of experience when it comes to inspecting, replacing, and repairing roofs and can assist you with any fall roof maintenance you may have. To book a free estimate with our project consultants, click here or call or text (860) 546-6292.
