Roofs
The roof system is exposed to all manner of chemical and environmental stress due to long-term effects of normal aging. In realty small isolated problems caused through abuse, stress concentration, error in installation, quality of material, tree branches hanging over the roof, or other factors result in shortened lifespan. These small problems, if undetected escalate over time until they are extensive and expensive to resolve.
The most important reason to establishing a program of regular roof maintenance and inspection is to protect the owner’s investment. By not maintaining your roof, it could cost you the homeowner thousands of dollars in repairs and water damage to the interior of your home. Water should be diverted away from your home structure. If valleys are full of debris, water is obstructed and cannot run off the roof into the gutter system. Our climate in British Columbia demand that your roof and gutter system is maintained on regular basis.
Regular roof cleaning is an essential part of home maintenance. By keeping the roof clean of any debris and moss including the roof valleys, you can eliminate the potential for moss and algae growth, which wears down the asphalt shingles and concrete tile roofs. If you are not initiative-taking in cleaning your roof, this can affect the component of your roof along with the gutters. During a downpour, the moss, algae, and debris from roof sweeps in with the rainwater flowing down into your gutter increasing the risk of congestion and clogging your gutter system.
Maintenance of Tile Roofs
Tile roofs attract moss in the spaces between the overlapping tile's themselves and will dramatically shorten the life of your roof by destroying the integrity of each individual tile. The moss will cause several hairline cracks along the overlapping section of the tile. Those cracks will develop into breaks in the Tile. These missing pieces will allow the weather to enter your roofing or sub-roofing. In addition, during rainfall pieces of moss will enter into the gutter system and cause blocking of your down pipes. Heavy moss contamination can lead to the rapid deterioration and breakdown of roofing materials eventually necessitating costly repairs. Moss and fungus covered roof will absorb more heat and therefore, increase your utility bills. Regular inspection and maintenance of your roof is needed to prevent the likelihood of premature leaks.
Tile roofs should be cleaned every five to six years and inspected every two to three years for broken or cracked tiles. All inspections and maintenance should be performed by a qualified professional.
Tile roofs can last approximately 50 – 75 years in most cases and out live us as owners if professionally cleaned and maintained. Regular visual inspection and maintenance of your roof is needed to maximize the life expectancy of the roofing system. Roofs are exposed to the sunlight, rain, snow hail, wind and temperature changes that gradually breakdown the roofing system. Also, tiles tend to slide down due to the roof installer neglecting to support the tile with nails. All roofs require regular inspection and maintenance by a professional roofing inspector or contractor as it involve specialized knowledge, equipment, training and safety requirements. We can inspect entire roofs for cracks, sliding tile gaps, and separating top caps on roof.
If a tile roof is leaking it is most likely caused by broken or cracked tiles. However, often a tile can just slide down due to the fact a roof installer did not nail the tile in place. Sliding tiles or broken tiles will uncover the roof weaved surface membrane underneath. Therefore, allowing animals or insects (e.g. raccoons, squirrels, bees, and vermin) to gain entrance into your attic. If valleys are full of debris, water is obstructed and cannot run off the roof into the gutter system. What’s more, the roof valley and ridge lines are simply bonded with tar to hold in place, which will not last being exposed to the weather elements. Damaged or clogged gutters, roof drains, and downspout can cause water back up on the roof.
In order to minimize any further water damage, we can do minor tile repairs and replace broken tiles. We can also provide replacement of roof vents for attic circulation, furnace, bathroom, toilet, kitchen, and dryer vent.
Maintenance of Asphalt Roofs
Avoiding Power Washing
Asphalt roofs should never be power washed. The force of water can remove the surface or break away pieces of material, causing immediate leaks or shortening the service life of the roof system.
Removing Existing Moss Growth
Moss growth on roofs can be problematic, but it can be managed with care. When the moss growth is dormant, it can be scrape or swept off with a broom. However, it is nearly impossible to physically remove all the moss roots and small pieces from a roof surface. Being quite hardy, the moss and algae will re-grow from whatever is left behind.
Controlling Moss and Algae
To control the buildup of moss, one effective method is to spray on a moss and algae removal product. Another option is to install zinc strips on the roof. These strips will reduce moss and algae growth, although their effectiveness can vary depending on the surface area of the strip and the amount of water running over it.
Removal of Tree Foliage From Roof
Trees drop leaves and branches onto your roof. The tree leaves will decay and trap moisture on asphalt roof shingles. This creates the perfect conditions for mould algae, moss, and rotting wood. We can use a strong blower
or broom to remove the tree foliage and debris from your roof.
Metal Roof
Periodic inspections of your metal roof and keeping it clean of debris, dirt, mould, and algae is the best way to ensure that it is maintain. There are chemicals present in the metal roofing material that can cause chalking residue that can become visible on a painted or coated metal surface over time. As a panel is exposed to sunlight and UV rays, the paint system’s resin begins to break down and degrade and the particles begin to turn white. These particles will eventually become visible on the metal’s surface or subtle in appearance and chalky residue will be evident if you swipe the panel with your finger. We can assist in the maintenance of cleaning of your metal roof.
Risk of Fire
Some city municipalities have many areas where the wilderness and urban development meet. This mean that structures and vegetation are sufficiently close together that a wildfire may spread between tress or vegetation and structures easily. Recommend that homeowners reduce the risk of fire and have their roof and gutters clear of dead needle and other accumulations such as dead leaves and prune all branches that hang over the roof.
Certified home inspector James Dobney answers viewer questions about common home repairs. Watch at the end of video for important information on roof maintenance.
