It’s that time of year again to check your roof before the winter storms arrive. If you are not comfortable doing the check yourself, many roofing companies will send someone out for a free consultation. Or a reputable local handyman may come out for a small charge.
If you decide to do this check yourself there are several things to look for. First, before going outside, go into your attic on a sunny day and look up. If you see sunlight coming through the roof you obviously have a hole. If you can, push something through the hole so you can see the protrusion from the top of the roof so you can thoroughly inspect the area.
Often times you can position the ladder in a way to get a good view and minimize the time spent on your roof avoiding any damage and reducing the risks of slips and falls. You can use binoculars to get a better look and also take advantage of any dormers or upstairs windows you may have to view the condition of your roof.
Look for broken, missing, cracked or torn composition shingles, roof tiles or wood shingles that can be repaired or replaced. Clues that you have rotten wood under your tiles are dips or indentations in your roof. Also check your soffit for rotten wood. If your flashing is curled, bent, loose or cracked sometimes it can be reattached to the roof without replacing the metal pieces.
Routine maintenance of a flat roof will prevent major problems. During your inspection look for exposed tar paper, ruptures, blisters, or bubbles in the roofing. Spongy spots are due to water accumulating under the roofing material and the wood underneath starting to rot.
Clean out any debris in your gutters, leaves, twigs etc., so the water will flow freely and prevent back ups causing water to spill off of your rooftop.
By doing a simple check of your roof once or twice a year can help prevent costly repairs later on. If you would like a more detailed list, please go to the home page and download the free checklist for roof inspection.
