Roofing Tips You Need To Know

When it comes to the safety and stability of your home, roofing is incredibly important. We all need to know what to do to keep our home secure and how to ensure that the roof is stable and safe at all times. 

You could, of course, hire a professional company such as Hometown Roofing ATX to come and help you with your roofing tasks, but it is also important that you know how to do a few things yourself. 

Today we are going to take a look at the roofing and what you need to know. 

What causes a leak? 

The first question you need to ask yourself is why is the roof leaking. There are many different causes for a leaking roof and it is crucial for you to know the signs of what to look for. However, remember that the best thing you can do if you have a leak that could be potentially dangerous is to reach out to a professional team, such as the one at Iron River Construction. Here are the main causes: 

• Age – as with any other part of the home, age is a big factor in the safety and durability of the roof. Over time the wear and tear from the elements will break down your roof materials and eventually you’ll need to replace them with new ones. 
• Missing tiles – now and again a tile will fall from your roof and will land in the garden or at the front of your house. It is important for you to make sure that you minimize missing tiles because these gaps can cause water to be able to get into the home and therefore a leak 
• Holes – it stands to reason that if there is a hole in your roof you will be more likely to suffer from a leak. Check for holes regularly and ensure that the roof is stable. 
• Dirty gutters – one of the main reasons why the roof might leak is because of dirty and clogged up gutters. You need to unclog the gutters regularly to ensure that water is able to flow away from the brickwork of the house and this will make a big difference to your home. Having someone like this Gutter Cleaning Charlotte company come out and clean your gutters is a great way to make your home look better, as well as protect it from water damage.
• Skylights – Skylights are a feature that many modern homes have and they can be a great method for bringing natural light into the house. However, a skylight can be a reason why your roof is leaking because it will create extra space in the roof and this is likely to cause some issues if the skylight isn’t best fitted. 

Fixing the issue 

When it comes to fixing a leaking roof there are a few different things you need to think about. Generally, there are 3 types of roof tile that may be present on your roof and that’s why we want to discuss how to fix issues with all of these tile types. 

Fix Shingle

When fixing a shingle roof tile there are a few things you need to gather. You’ll need some shingles, a hammer, a crowbar, roofing nails, and roofing adhesive. 

To fix shingles, you should remove the damaged shingle by lifting it off the roof. Take the old nails from underneath the shingle, and make sure your replacement stinky is close by. Lift up the shingle above with a crowbar for easy access and slide the shingle underneath. Nail it into place. It is important to note that shingles might not be cut to the right size, so double-check this before you start and cut it if needed. 

Fix Asphalt 

Asphalt roofing is a little different from shingle and it is used for flat roofs. To fix a damaged asphalt roof you need to gather a patching kit, paintbrush, scissors, and a roller. 

Before you begin a repair you need to clean the area and remove things such as mold and dirt. Once cleaned, apply a primer to the area and make sure that the primer stretches for an area around the damaged patch. Once the primer is dry, cut the patch and apply this to the area. Press and secure and then use a roller to ensure the surface is flat. 

Fix Tile

Shingle tiles and tiles are similar in their needs, and to fix a tile that is damaged on your roof you need a replacement tile, roof sealant, hammer, crowbar, and nails. 

To fix a tile that is damaged you need to first check the tile and decide if you need to replace the whole thing or not. Sometimes if the damage isn’t too severe you can apply roofing sealant beneath the tile and this will seal the tile and fix the issue. If you cannot do this, you will need to remove and replace the tile. To do this you need to lift the tile above with a crowbar, then remove the damaged tile. Remove the old nail. Replace the tile and fix it into place with a new nail. 

Preventing damage 

Once you have fixed a broken roof or a damaged roof it is important that you know how to prevent any issues in the future. When managing your roof it is important for you to take measures to keep it secure and healthy. 

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Hire a professional

DIY roof repairs are a great fix for smaller issues and you can prevent a lot of damage this way, but eventually, it is worth investing in a professional to repair or even replace your roof entirely. This will allow the roof to last for much longer and it will make a big difference to space. 

Keep pests away 

One of the issues you may not have considered when fixing the roof is the fact that wasps might try to make their home in or outside the roof. To keep wasps away you can hang a bouquet of rosemary or other herbs on the roof and this will deter any wasps from trying to make their home here. You can also think about sealing small holes to ensure that bats or birds don’t make a nest within your roof. 

Clean the gutters 

As we mentioned earlier, dirty gutters can have a huge impact on the safety of the roof as well as the structure of your home. When the gutters become clogged with debris from closeby trees, the water will build up and leak into the roof as well as down into the foundations of the home. It can also become a perfect breeding ground for mosquito larvae. Make sure to clean the gutters thoroughly and also check for cracks in the gutters that may need to be fixed or replaced. 

Check the roof regularly 

Once a year or so it is a good idea to perform a full inspection of the roof to ensure it is secure and safe. The roof needs to be checked for several different things such as its ability to drain water away from the house, it’s the ability to keep heat within the house and more. If you think you have a leak you can inspect each tile and you’ll be able to find the source and use the instructions above to perform a simple repair. These are the main things you will be looking out for when you do a roof inspection: 

• missing shingles
• Loose shingles
• Damaged drip edge
• Damaged flashing
• Cracked gutters

Trim the trees

When you are looking after the roof of the house you need to also think about the things that might have an impact on it. If you have trees close to your roof there are 2 mains risks. One of those is that the trees can be pushed over by a strong storm and crash into the roof. The other issue is that the tree leaves and twigs can become stuck in your guttering. 

Assess algae 

Algae is a type of life that can form on wet and humid areas, and it is important for you not to let this grow on the roof because it could lead to structural damage. If there is algae or moss on the roof be sure to remove it carefully, and then prevent the growth with good ventilation, resealing the tiles, and even by trimming trees. 

Balance insulation and ventilation

It is important when you are managing your home safely that you form a perfect balance between the insulation of the home and the ventilation. When inspecting your home and the attic of the home you need to be sure that there is enough ventilation for airflow to be able to keep the space dry. This will ensure that mold does not grow in the space. You also need to use insulation to keep heat in the house and also protect the home from the cold and wet. If you don’t know how to do this yourself it is a good idea to ask someone else to help you with it all. 

So with these tips and tricks and helpful instructions you should be able to maintain a strong and safe roof structure all year long.