Over head upkeep: Why to get a roof inspected before winter sets in
Give a little thought to the roof over your head.
Whether its top layer is shingles, shakes, tiles or something else altogether, it keeps you dry when it rains, traps the heat when it’s cold and helps keep you cool during those blistering days we can get in July and August.
Take care of your roof. So it can take care of you.
According to Igancio Cardenas, a project manager for Pasco-based Royal Roofing Inc., homeowners need to pay attention to the weak points — curves, changes in pitch or height, vents or exhaust pipes — in their roofs and inspect them regularly to make sure those places don’t leak.
“With a lot of new homes, there are a lot of curves, and they end up having weak points,” Cardenas said. “Places where water doesn’t flow properly.”
Cardenas said the biggest problem with water leaks into homes that he sees is worn out flashing — plastic or metal strips used at places where roofs connect to outside walls to ensure that water cannot get in between the roof and the wall. He also said a major source of leaks is aging and cracking of plastic vents and exhaust pipes.
“With time, they can dry out and get brittle,” he said. “You can’t see, so you have to get up and look.”
Cardenas suggests the best way for a homeowner to get to know their roof is to contact a licensed contractor to inspect it. Inspections may be free, and a qualified contractor will make a recommendation.
He also said companies like New Jersey-based GAF, which manufactures roofing materials, can recommend qualified contractors in your area.
Cardenas also said regular maintenance on gutters is important, since water lingering in rain gutters can freeze and create ice dams. They can block the flow of water out of the gutter and even damage your roof and attic if the water overflows.
Gutters need to be cleaned every fall of leaves and pine needles, Cardenas said. Even the screens designed to prevent anything from accumulating in rain gutters usually allow a few things in. Cardenas compared annual gutter cleaning to blowing out sprinklers, running high-pressure air through a sprinkler system to clear out pipes, at the end of a lawn watering season.
“They still have to have yearly maintenance,” he said.
According to the NW Insurance Council, regular maintenance on roofs and gutters is essential because while insurance will cover catastrophic damage from accidents and bad weather, most policies will not cover damage caused by “gross negligence” on the part of a homeowner.
“Neglected roof leaks, gutters that have never been cleared from debris or inattention to overgrown or diseased landscaping, for example, is often excluded from coverage,” the council said in a recent news alert.
