We all know that roofs are here to protect us against weather condition, which is why they are a first-line defense that is prone to damage. It is essential to conduct frequent roof inspection and evaluation by choosing professional roofing contractors.
A damaged roof is a significant problem that could cause severe damage to your house, foundation and can even make structural damage. Therefore, you should find a way to inspect it at least twice a year, after summer and winter.
The best way to do it is to find professionals that have experience in conducting evaluation and inspection. However, there are things that you can do yourself, without calling professionals. We decided to present you ways on how to health-check your roof from time to time:
- Start With Internal Inspection
First, you have to start with the inside of your house, to see whether there are some signs of leakage or other roof damage.
Therefore, we recommend you to inspect the attic because poor ventilation can cause moisture condensation and build-ups. Moisture can easily damage your roof from the inside, which is why it is important to check it frequently.
Leaves, roof insulation, and moss can cause blockage inside the ventilation, which will stop air from escaping, which is another problem you should consider. Therefore, if you find anything inside, use an old paintbrush to remove everything from inside, to let air run freely.
- Inspect Roof Tiles
The common thing that happens to old houses and roofs is that shingles and tiles can break, loose, crack or displace. Therefore, you should inspect shingles and tiles by climbing onto the roof. We recommend you to wear safety equipment while conducting an investigation such as:
- A safety harness
- Extension ladders
- Strong and durable breaking strain rope
- Shoes with soft soles and grip
If you want to learn more on safety equipment you’ll need for roof inspection; you have to click here.
It is important to stay away from power cables when you position the ladders. At the same time, keep it away from doors and windows. Most people don’t know that the best way to ensure the stability on ladders is that you ensure that they come out at least one meter from the gutter line for every four meters in height.
If you want to increase the stability of ladders, you can place chock under ladder feet, but we recommend you to ask someone to hold ladders while you’re above. When you reach the top, it is important to throw safety rope over the roof, so that it lands on the other side.
You can also fixate it on a strong tree or structural part of the house. As soon as you anchor it, climb ladders until you reach the roof level, and tie the rope into a knot. If you have a tile roof, you should position your feet on the bottom edge of shingles, because that way you will avoid damaging them additionally.
It is important to remove shingles and set them on one side carefully. Remove the shingle that you want to replace. In some cases, you will need to bring up a hammer to break it up and take nails that are underneath it. After you finish removing it, attach the new one to the roof, and place sealant to prevent leakage.
You should have in mind that if you don’t have appropriate safety equipment, you should avoid climbing a roof because fall can cause a life-threatening situation. It is always better to call professionals that will inspect and provide you a written evaluation of everything that has to be fixed.
- Inspect The Flashing
Satellite dishes, skylights, chimneys and other objects you have on your roof contain metal strips that we call flashing. As they get old, bad weather can cause significant damage, so you should make sure that flashings sit tight without the possibility to seep water in.
If you notice damage, you should replace it with 100 silicone sealant, which is permanently waterproof.
Over time, flashings can slip, so you should check whether there are some signs of movement. If they are rusty, you should replace them as soon as possible. You will be able to find roof sealant, flashing and caulk in most DIY shops, but if you lack safety equipment, you should avoid doing it yourself.