Five Mistakes You’ve Been Making with Your Roof
Your roof plays an imperative role in protecting your whole house. It’s the first line of defense against the elements and every part of the roof system has a vital part in making sure your home isn’t affected by damage.
From the shingles to the roofing underlayment, it’s essential to keep your roof system healthy and inspected, otherwise you’ll be looking at a future of expensive repairs and tracking down frustrating leaks.
Choosing Repairs Over Replacement
The most common mistake homeowners make with their roofs is choosing to replace shingles instead of fully committing to a roof replacement. You may think that a quick patch job will do the trick and that you’re saving money, but in the long run, you’re doing more damage to your home with a fast fix.
DIYers sometimes will nail new shingles over old ones, which is another aspect of repairs that makes things much worse than intended. By doing this, there is no proper seal and water can easily sneak into the roofing system, causing damage and leading to pricey solutions. This is another reason to always have a professional repair, replace and inspect your roof.
While repairing the roof may seem like you’re doing the right thing, remember that you could very well end up causing more damage in the end. Roof replacements are an expensive investment, but they last for decades and will end up being much cheaper than trying to fix shoddy repair jobs.
Not Hiring a Professional
Just because you can replace or repair parts of your roof on your own doesn’t meant that you should. Your roof is serves as a major feature in protecting your home and if you’re not experienced with a roofing system, you could be putting the rest of your house at a serious risk of water damage. When not addressed, water damage can lead to foundational and structural issues, causing you to seek out expensive repairs.
Even replacing shingles requires know-how. If you secure a roofing nail incorrectly, you could puncture the shingle and allow water into the roof system. It’s better to contact your roofing contractor if your roof is under warranty to help you out with any needed repairs. For replacing an entire roof, it’s also better to hire the professionals for a faster install that is professionally done.
Cleaning Your Roof with a Pressure Washer
Many homeowners think that getting out the pressure washer and cleaning the roof with it is a good idea. In fact, it’s one of the top five mistakes you can make with your roof. Most people don’t understand that a pressure washer can damage your shingles because of the high pressure they use.
Your roof is also designed to handle the outer elements like mold and mildew, so you don’t really need to pressure wash the roof to keep it clean. If your roof is suffering from algae growth, which commonly forms on shaded areas, you can skip the pressure washer and simply use a hose and a chemical mixture to rid the roof of algae.
If you do want to power wash your roof, then call a professional company to do the job instead. You’ll be saving yourself from damaging the shingles. It’s also highly advisable that professionals do this job due to their trained expertise of using a pressure washer on such heights.
Avoiding Regular Inspections
When was the last time you’ve had your roof inspected? If it’s been longer than a year, it’s definitely time to have one done as soon as possible. You may think that you don’t need to have your roof inspected by a professional, but it’s something that should be on the top of your house checklist.
There may be unseen damages or needed repairs within your roofing system that only a trained and experienced inspector will be able to detect. No matter where you live, you’re sure to be subjected to storms at some point or another, plus with the general wear and tear a roof faces in its daily life begs the need for a regular inspection.
Not Checking Out Your Attic
Your roof’s underbelly can be seen in the attic of your house. This part of the roof will show you signs of leaks that need to be addressed right away. When you conduct a regular inspection of your roof, you should always check the attic as it will show you telltale signs that something is amiss in the roofing system. Having your roof professionally inspected will also investigate the attic portion of your home to assess the overall health of the roof system.
Leaks are easy to detect in an attic but it’s also a good way to see if your roof is properly ventilated. The roof system needs to be able to regulate temperature during extreme weather. By checking out your attic, you’ll be able to see if you need to update your roof’s ventilation, which will prolong its lifespan.
At Feldco, we provide breakthrough design and triple layer protection to keep your roof insulated throughout the year. For a roof replacement, our installers are factory trained, experienced and professional to get the job done correctly. Speak to a product specialist and get a free quote today.
