Preventive maintenance of roof and gutters can save you thousands of dollars. Having a routine inspection and timely cleaning done by professional roofing contractors Dearborn Michigan is essential, especially at the end of a seasonal onslaught. You could inspect and clean your roof yourself or you could hire a professional. Either way, you should be proactive. Do not wait for your roof and gutters to suffer serious damage. Every roof, regardless of the roofing material, and all types of gutters need to be prepared for spring, summer, fall and winter. In all fairness, preparing your roof and gutters for spring is more about assessing the impact of winter.
- Begin with a thorough inspection of the roof and gutters. Clean the roof and gutters. You need to ensure spotless cleanliness, barring the harsh stains that wouldn’t go even with pressure washing. All the downspouts and eaves troughs must be cleaned thoroughly. Do not leave any debris on your roof or in the gutters. You need smooth water runoff to protect your roof during spring showers.
- Inspect your shingles and gutters for physical damage. You may find a missing shingle, a few may be damaged or you could spot granules in the gutters. Any damaged or missing shingle should be replaced. Damaged portions of the gutters must be repaired or replaced. If there are nails popping out somewhere then you should hammer them down. If your roof is not too old, normal signs of ageing are not a concern. Curled and loose shingles should also be replaced and the sooner you do it, the better it is.
- Inspect the flashing on your roof. You may have skylights, windows or walls of dormers. Damaged flashing or cracked caulking should be attended to. Simple remedies such as re-caulking will be sufficient. If flashing is damaged extensively and you see substantial rust, then you may have to replace the entire flashing. Fragile flashing will leave your roof vulnerable to water damage. Do not avert or delay replacement.
- Once you are confident of the condition of the roof, flashing and gutters, move to the fascia and soffit. The fascia and soffit may not appear to be as significant as the roof itself or the gutters but they serve a crucial function. They must be in impeccable condition for your roof to be strong and durable. You should ensure the fascia or soffits don’t have any holes, soft spots or visible damage. You can repair them or replace them depending on the extent of damage.
- Finally, look for signs of water damage. Roofs are vulnerable to ice dams during winter. Some of the damages may be visible and at times the damage could be difficult to ascertain. This is primarily why most homeowners hire a professional to assess the damage caused by ice dams. It is possible you wouldn’t find any concerning sign but the substrate layer or the roof or the roofing deck may be significantly damaged. Ice dam can lead to rotting of the underlayment, it can damage the insulation and there may be potential leaks that would cause havoc during the rains.
