1. Clear Your Roof and Gutters of Any Debris
Before you get your roof inspected by a professional roofing contractor, you’ll want to remove stains and debris that could trap moisture. Plants, sticks and pine needles can hold onto water and cause mold and mildew buildup. Cleaning these items off your property can enhance your curb appeal and preserve your roof’s life span. A professional can help you figure out the best way to clean the moss and algae off your roof based on the manufacturer’s instructions for the shingle material.
Since gutters help control the flow of water away from your home, it’s best to clean these components before the next rainstorm. Water from melting snow can accumulate on your roof and into your gutters if there are any clogs. Leaking gutters can flood water onto your roof and damage the edges. In the spring, the wind can also carry flower petals and pollen to your property. Contact a professional to clean the debris out of your gutters out of your gutters as soon as possible.
Besides examining your roof and gutters, you’ll also need to check the surrounding area for potential debris deposits. Trim any dead, weak tree branches that could blow onto your property during heavy winds. Let your roofing contractor know of any hazards around your home so they can deal with them accordingly.
2. Remove Any Animal Nests
After a long winter in hibernation, rodents, insects and other pests will swarm around your property looking for food and shelter. They can make nests on your roof and find openings into your home. As a result, they could cause significant damage to the insulation, wood and electrical wiring in your attic or crawl space.
Get rid of any nests you find on your home’s roof before the animals lay eggs or have babies. Most animals get protective over their young and become dangerous. Instead of handling it yourself, you should call a local wildlife professional to safely and humanely remove the animal nests from your property. In the meantime, you can protect your house from potential pest activity by sealing entry points where they could sneak in and contaminate other parts of your living space.
3. Get a Professional Inspection
Even though you can probably check your interior and exterior property for damage, you’ll want to schedule a professional inspection to make sure you didn’t miss anything. An expert roofer can adequately assess any damage and provide the best methods for fixing them.
Before they arrive, you can make a preliminary assessment by inspecting the inside of your home for dripping water or sunlight from the outside. Your roof probably has a leak if you find any standing water or damp beams in your attic or crawl space. There might also be mold or mildew buildup on your walls or ceiling due to moisture damage inside. Let your roofing contractor know about any damage you find while inspecting your attic, crawl space or roof.
You can expect your roofing company to conduct the following types of inspections on your property:
- Structural inspection: Your roofing contractor will check the overall structure of your roof and assess its integrity. They’ll check the gutters, soffit, fascia and roof framing for unevenness and signs of sagging. They’ll also make sure your chimney doesn’t have damage, cracks or crumbling grout. Inside the house, the inspector might inspect your attic’s ventilation to ensure that heat and moisture can adequately leave your home. Humidity and heat can reduce your roof’s life span and cause ice dams in the winter.
- Material inspection: After checking your roof’s structural integrity, the inspector will examine your roofing materials. They’ll keep an eye out for damaged, missing or loose shingles, as well as stains, rust, moss or loose flashing. They’ll also check your gutters for asphalt shingle granules that signal you need a new roof soon. Besides your roof’s shingles and downspouts, the roofing contractor will also examine the seals near your vent pipes for wear or openings.
- Interior inspection: Along with the outside, your inspector will also look inside your house for signs of roof damage. They’ll look at the interior walls and ceilings in your attic and crawl space for signs that water has entered your living space, such as rot, water stains and mold.
- Quality inspection: A roof can suffer damage from improper installation, harsh weather conditions or pest activity. Your roofing contractor will probably inspect your property for signs that your roof is of poor quality. This inspection will help prevent leaks or other future roof damage. They’ll pay particular attention to chimneys, vent pipes, flashing and skylights where moisture can leak through and enter your home.
4. Make the Necessary Springtime Roof Repairs
From the ground, look around your property for any damaged or missing shingles. You may even find shingles that have fallen off your roof in your yard a few feet from the house. Contact a professional roofing company as soon as possible to replace any buckling or cracking shingles. They have the materials you need to protect your home from leaks and moisture damage before it starts to rain in the spring.
During a professional inspection, the specialist will check all the roof’s components, including the downspouts and gutters. They’ll replace any missing or loose shingles you have and make sure your gutters are securely attached to your home. Along with new shingles, you may also need to replace missing or torn flashing. This material covers the chimney and other vulnerable parts of your roof, so you’ll need to replace it before rainwater infiltrates under your roof and into your home.
Finally, you’ll want to inspect and fix your ventilation stacks that remove moisture from your attic. A professional may need to apply weather-proof silicone caulk or weatherstripping in any gaps you find in your ventilation to prevent water from creeping under your roofing materials.
Call Tiger Roofing to Schedule Your Roof Maintenance
Tiger Roofing offers residential or commercial roofing services, including repairs, maintenance and inspections, to homeowners in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. We’ll help you take care of your roof so you can enjoy a clean, safe home this spring. Contact us online or call 410-228-3222 to schedule an appointment with us today.