The Importance Of Cleaning Your Roof
Maintaining a clean roof is crucial to its longevity. This should be performed at least semi-annually, but more often if needed.
There are several reasons why it is important to periodically clean your roof. One reason is for appearance, but there is an even more important reason that can actually impact the way in which the roof functions.
Because there are many parts to a roof, perhaps more than one might think at first sight, there are many cracks and crevices that could facilitate a home for unwanted materials that could keep certain features from dong their jobs.
For instance, if your gutter is clogged or needs to be cleaned, it won't hold the run-off water, causing this water to drip down into your yard. This could, in turn, cause a problem with flooding if there is enough water. When this happens, the gutter isn't working properly because something is keeping the water out. There are, however, ways around this.
Periodic cleaning is important because it can keep unwanted debris off the roof, and also makes it look more attractive. What happens, however, when that unwanted material is in the form of vegetation?
No matter what type of roof you have, the key to its maintaining a long life is the care taken to preserve it. It is recommended that maintenance be performed semi-annually, if not seasonally. An inspector should walk your roof slowly and inspect it thoroughly, and get rid of all leaves, branches, twigs, and any other debris that doesn't belong there.
An electric or gas blower will do this job nicely, and a roofing expert will know how to take care of this.
A good inspector will look for things such as broken or missing shingles, shakes or tiles, and make the necessary repairs.
Chimneys, roof-mounted AC units, roof-mounted solar panels, and dormer vents, plumbing vents, and valleys and crickets are the main areas where you will find leaking. Your roof will receive more damage from the outside elements than any other part of the building, so continual maintenance is crucial to its longevity.
Should vegetation be found anywhere on your roof, it will be removed by the inspector. This is why it is especially important to check all the valleys and crevices to be sure nothing is in the way, as this will ensure everything will work properly. Be sure to have the roof checked regularly, and if there is a particularly bad event such as a storm where additional vegetation might have accumulated, it is often a good idea to call someone to come out and inspect the situation and assess any damage that might have occurred. This, too, will add to the longevity of your roof.
