When it comes to protecting your home or your business from nature's wrath, the structure's roof is the first line of defense. The roof is there to protect from rain, snow, hail, sleet, strong winds, the hot sun and much more. This makes the roof the most important aspect of any building. Simply put, your roof is the primary protector of your investment. You must do everything in your power to maintain your roof so that it lasts as long as possible.
No matter what type of roof your building has, it will require some maintenance. Yet many homeowners and business owners neglect their roof's health because it is out of sight and therefore “out of mind”, as the saying goes. You should perform a thorough annual maintenance check of your roof. If you identify any problems with the roof now, then you'll save money in the long run. A small roof repair today could prevent a tiny problem from spiraling into something much larger and more expensive down the road.
To perform a roof maintenance checkup:
1. Begin by walking around your building's perimeter. Scan the roof for any loose items like tree branches, accumulations of wet leaves, street signs or even garbage can lids that might have been lifted into the air due to the wind. Remove all of these items. Be sure to trim any tall trees that stand near your roof as their limbs and leaves can easily extend outwards and protrude onto the roof, causing damage.
2. Next, ensure that the edges of the roof are tightly closed off. The roof corners are the sections of the roof that are most prone to rain and water, so inspect them closely. Each corner should be completely sealed. If any part is loose or damaged, fix the problem right away so that it doesn't turn into something more frustrating and expensive. While you are up on the roof, brush off any loose debris with a broom. Aside from damaging the roof, loose items could block the roof's drainage. If your roof has leaf grates, clean them off and make sure that they are properly secured.
3. Finally, make sure that any roof mounted devices like satellite dishes, HVAC machinery, antennas and other necessary objects are firmly in place. These pieces of equipment should not be loose enough to move. If you can move it with a nudge then it isn't secure enough to maintain its position and integrity during a storm.
The roof maintenance program outlined above should be conducted at least once per year. This annual routine checkup identifies problems head on and does so sooner rather than later. A roof maintenance program will give you peace of mind, save you money, protect your property and even increase the home or business's re-sale value.
