Roof replacement on your home or commercial business can be an expensive fix … several thousand dollars or much more, depending on the size of your roof and the roofing materials used. There are some things you can do to prolong the life of your roofing material and prevent leaks or additional damage.

1) Visually inspect your roof twice yearly, and also after hard rain, wind and hail storms. Get a pair of binoculars to conduct this twice yearly exam, because walking on your roof can cause damage. If you must get on the roof, wear rubber-soled shoes, brace the ladder, and be very careful not to slip and fall.

2) Promptly replace broken or missing shingles, tiles or shakes to prevent water damage inside your home, as well as to prevent loss of additional roofing material. Once you have a weak spot, the elements will go to work on it to tear more material loose.

3) Do not power wash your roof. The pressure from a power washer can cause unseen damage and drive water in under your shingles or tiles, blazing a path for future problems. There are roof cleaning products out there to remove mold, mildew and stains, but it is usually best to hire professionals to take care of the problem and to clean your roof.

4) Clear the roof and gutters of leaves, branches and other debris. Down spouts should not discharge onto roof surfaces, but should be extended to the eaves-troughs of the lower roof. Backed up gutters can cause damage to shingles, shakes or tiles along to the edge of your roof, so be sure to keep them cleaned out.

5) Trim trees growing close to the house or touching the roof. Branches leaning on the roof will scratch and gouge roofing materials when they are blown by the wind; falling branches from overhanging trees can damage, or even puncture shingles and other roofing materials; and falling leaves can clog gutter systems causing water to backup into the attic or living spaces, or to run down behind the fascia.

6) In the Southwest and particularly in the Phoenix area, the climate can cause some unusual roofing problems, particularly for shingle roofs. Heat causes the shingles to melt, and the excessive dryness can cause the shingles to crack. When a roof has been heat cracking for an extended period of time, it has reached the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced.

If you spot potential problems, call the experts at VIP Roofing Services, LLC. These Arizona licensed roofing contractors can assist you with everything from emergency tile roof repair/replacement, shingle roof repair/replacement, foam roof repair/replacement, roof inspections and maintenance, and for complete roof replacements. The VIP Roofing experts are licensed, bonded and insured, with years of experience in all types of residential and commercial roof repairs and replacements. VIP Roofing services the entire Phoenix, Arizona, metro area.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites