When it comes to maintaining a home, many homeowners tend to think of splashing on a new coat of paint or having their kitchen remodeled. Unfortunately, this often means that a few other important areas are left neglected—until something goes wrong. One such area that is often an afterthought is your home’s roof.
It’s easy to take your home’s roofing system for granted, but do not forget that your roofing system is your home’s main line of defense against water damage from precipitation. Even the slightest damage to your roof can have major consequences.
Given all of this, why wait until something goes wrong before you pay attention to the condition of your home’s roofing system? Always keep in mind that “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure”. What’s the best way to prevent roofing issues from getting out of hand? Inspecting your roof!
Do I Really Need to Inspect My Roof?
Yes! Roof inspections are a vital part of yearly roof maintenance. Just because you may have a few neighbors who neglect their roofs doesn’t mean that you can afford to do the same. Even the smallest leak can wreak havoc in your home’s interior, from water damage to mold growth. This is especially true during summer and winter, the two seasons when roofing systems tend to see the most damage. As such, it is highly advised that you inspect your roof twice a year, preferably during spring and autumn to prepare your roof for the harsh weather conditions ahead.
Naturally, you can always leave roof inspection to professional roofing contractors like Muller Exteriors. However, there are also some merits to inspecting your roof on your own. The biggest advantage of this would be that you immediately know which roofing issues are present, allowing contractors to immediately get to work. Of course, there is also the fact that you can save a few hundred dollars by doing the initial inspection yourself.
Preparing for the Task at Hand
If you would like to inspect your roofing system on your own, it is highly advised that you prepare for the task carefully. Many homeowners underestimate the risks that are present when conducting a roofing inspection. Careful preparation can help minimize those risks and keep you safe.
Many experienced contractors recommend homeowners to start their inspection by grabbing a pair of binoculars to help them survey the condition of their respective roofs. If you find any issues (more on this later), that is the only time you should consider heading up a ladder.
In the event that climbing up to your roof becomes necessary, make sure you fully prepare yourself for the task at hand. Remember: your safety should always be the priority. With that in mind, make sure you practice these safety tips:
- Check the Weather Forecast. If you are planning to head up to your roof a few days from now, it may be a good idea to head over to your local weather channel or your favorite weather forecast website. Take a good look at the forecast for the rest of the week. As you can imagine, it would be a terrible idea to head up to your roof on a rainy or windy day. If the forecast for the current week isn’t favorable, it’s better to wait for the weather to improve than to force the issue and put yourself at risk.
- Practice the Buddy System. As the saying goes, “no man is an island”. Given the safety risks involved in roof inspections, it is highly advised that you practice the buddy system whenever you inspect your roof. You can easily ask a family member to help you out with the inspection by keep the ladder steady as you climb up and down. This assures you that there is someone around to help you and call emergency services in case something happens. Alternatively, you may also ask a neighbor to help you out as long as you are willing to help him with the inspection of his roof.
- Set Up Your Ladder on Even Ground. Climbing up the ladder can be quite dangerous as the risk of falling is quite high. This risk is further magnified if you do not set up your ladder properly. Look for flat, even ground to set up your ladder on, even if the section of the roof you initially climb up to is far from the section you intend to take a closer look at. Even if you are able to set up the ladder on a flat, stable surface, make sure your buddy holds the ladder steady to prevent any sudden changes in balance as you climb up.
- Use a Safety Harness. If your home has a chimney, it would be ideal to set up a safety harness and attach it to your waist just in case you lose your footing as you walk around your roof. Safety harnesses are a primary safety tool to prevent fall injuries. You can easily find a safety harness at your local home depot or you can purchase a harness from an occupational safety supply. When tying the harness, be sure to tie it around the base of your chimney as this is the sturdiest part. Tying the harness near the mouth of the chimney may lead to the section breaking off due to the sudden stress placed by your weight.
- Wear the Right Shoes for the Job. Lastly, make sure you are wearing the correct footwear for the job. Majority of the roofs found in Illinois are pitched roofs. Worn tiles also offer poor traction, especially when dusty or wet. Wearing shoes with poor grip can easily result in you slipping. Recommended footwear includes work boots or hiking boots. Needless to say, going barefoot or wearing flip-flops is highly discouraged. Cross-trainers and other similar shoes are okay as long as the grip is not too worn out.
Warning Signs to Look Out For
When inspecting your roof for signs of damage, it pays to be thorough. It’s fairly easy to find obvious signs of damage such as missing shingles. However, there are a wide range of more subtle forms of roof damage and “situations” that suggest you should consider reroofing right away. These include:
- Buckling or Curling Shingles. Take a closer look at your shingles and try to see if any of them are curling at the sides or corners. There are many reasons why roofing shingles curl, but the most common reasons include poor ventilation in the attic and improper shingle installation. Regardless of the reason why your shingles have started to curl, this issue needs to be addressed immediately. Curling shingles are more prone to being blown away when facing weather conditions with strong winds. Curling shingles also have a tendency to allow precipitation to enter your home and cause water damage.
- Granule Build-Up in Your Gutters. As you walk around your roof, try to take a peek at your gutters. Do you see an accumulation of sand-like granules in your gutters? Unfortunately, those granules aren’t sand. It is actually the asphalt coating of your shingles. The asphalt coating of asphalt shingles are what protect your roof from damage from the sun’s UV rays. When the coating becomes too thin, your shingles are more prone to UV damage, significantly shortening the service life of your roof. If you do not notice granule accumulation in your gutters, still check your shingles for any signs of “balding” since the granules may have been washed away during a recent storm.
- Sagging Sections or “Valleys” on Your Roof. Your roof is designed to slope downwards in a uniform fashion all throughout. If you notice any areas that are sagging or if there are visible “valleys” on your roof, it’s best to not approach that section. Head down immediately and call trusted roofing contractors as soon as possible. These sagging sections are often indicative of a structural problem. The longer this issue is left unresolved, the higher the risk of that section of your roof caving in, causing extensive and significant damage to your home.
- Mold Growth Underneath Your Shingles. Many homeowners are familiar with the growth of algae or moss on roof shingles. These usually aren’t much of a problem as the only issue with algae and/or moss growth is purely aesthetic. The same can’t be said for mold growth however. Take the time to see if the growth you’ve noticed is moss or mold. If it’s mold, there is a big chance that mold has also started to grow underneath your shingles. In extreme cases, mold growth may even lead to the support beams of your roof rotting away. In this scenario, a full reroof may be necessary.
- Issues in the Attic. There will be times when the exterior of your roof will show no telltale signs of damage. In such cases, do not shrug it off and act as if your roof is just fine. Sometimes, damage can sit right below the surface of your shingles. Once you finish your visual inspection of your roof’s exterior, make sure you take the time to inspect your attic. Subtle signs such as sunlight streaking through the ceiling and damp, musky smells may indicate that your roof has a leak despite the lack of evidence from the exterior.
What to Do
DIY repairs are heavily discouraged since even the slightest mistake can make the damage worse or even impact otherwise “healthy” sections of your roof. Seeing as your roofing system plays a large role in protecting your home against water damage, further damaging your roof is definitely something you want to avoid.
If you notice any of the warning signs mentioned above, it’s best to pick up the phone and call a respected local roofing company like Muller Exteriors to perform a more in-depth inspection. Professional roofers can further assess the extent of the damage and provide you with a list of any necessary repairs. An experienced roofer may also be able to tell you which repairs are more of a priority in the event you can only have one particular issue repaired at a time.
