Roof Maintenance – What About Asphalt Shingle Maintenance?
Roof maintenance is something many people forget to do, but can be an important part of the upkeep of a home. There are several steps that you should go through before and during the maintenance of a roof, but these differ depending on the material it's made of. In this article, we'll go over how to clean and maintain an asphalt shingle roof.
The first thing you'll want to do in any roof maintenance job is clean debris from the roof. This can be anything that has built up behind HVAC units, pitch pans or pipes, and other penetrations of the roof. Since this debris tends to soak up water, and water is one of the leading causes of deterioration of the roof (especially in roofs that are primarily asphalt), you'll want to do this two or maybe three times a year.
If the roof is collecting moss and algae, zinc control or lead control strips should be installed. All the flashings should be checked for holes, and algae and moss should be removed. If there are any shingle tabs that are loose, a little roofing cement can be dabbed under either side to secure them. Damaged or broken shingles should be removed and replaced.
Keeping gutters debris free is an important part of roof maintenance, and is necessary for proper water flow control, and pour water down the downspouts to ensure that they are functioning correctly. If there are tree branches overhanging, they should be trimmed to prevent debris from falling on the roof.
Open valley metal should be checked for rust, and if there is rust then it should be wire brushed away, and then the metal should be primed and painted. Caulking and sealants should be checked, and if any is cracked or damaged it should be scraped away and re-applied. If you have a brick and mortar chimney, check the mortar on the sides and on top, and if it is damaged it can be repaired by a mason.
Roof maintenance is often a simple matter of knowing how the weather affects your home. If you have asphalt shingles that can be damaged over time, a periodic checkup and some mild repair work is likely all that is necessary.
Keeping up with your roof can help you find problems before they work their way into your home and cause you even more stress (not to mention money) than if you took care of them outside . . .
Find out more by reading the full article which explains what you need to know about roof maintenance.
The first thing you'll want to do in any roof maintenance job is clean debris from the roof. This can be anything that has built up behind HVAC units, pitch pans or pipes, and other penetrations of the roof. Since this debris tends to soak up water, and water is one of the leading causes of deterioration of the roof (especially in roofs that are primarily asphalt), you'll want to do this two or maybe three times a year.
If the roof is collecting moss and algae, zinc control or lead control strips should be installed. All the flashings should be checked for holes, and algae and moss should be removed. If there are any shingle tabs that are loose, a little roofing cement can be dabbed under either side to secure them. Damaged or broken shingles should be removed and replaced.
Keeping gutters debris free is an important part of roof maintenance, and is necessary for proper water flow control, and pour water down the downspouts to ensure that they are functioning correctly. If there are tree branches overhanging, they should be trimmed to prevent debris from falling on the roof.
Open valley metal should be checked for rust, and if there is rust then it should be wire brushed away, and then the metal should be primed and painted. Caulking and sealants should be checked, and if any is cracked or damaged it should be scraped away and re-applied. If you have a brick and mortar chimney, check the mortar on the sides and on top, and if it is damaged it can be repaired by a mason.
Roof maintenance is often a simple matter of knowing how the weather affects your home. If you have asphalt shingles that can be damaged over time, a periodic checkup and some mild repair work is likely all that is necessary.
Keeping up with your roof can help you find problems before they work their way into your home and cause you even more stress (not to mention money) than if you took care of them outside . . .
Find out more by reading the full article which explains what you need to know about roof maintenance.
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