All Pinellas County roofers will tell you that your home is one of the greatest investments you will make in your lifetime. This is why one has to protect that investment with regular maintenance. Unfortunately, one of the largest components of your home that protects it from Mama Nature, your roofing, can get overlooked. Out of sight, out of mind.
But ignoring your roof year after year can cause major expenses down the line. Roof repairs can be expensive. But if you perform regular maintenance to your roof, you can save thousands on repair costs.
Use our top 10 tips for roofing maintenance to keep your home safe and if you need help, call the experts at Classic Roofing & Construction. We are a full-service roofing company that’s trusted and recommended in Pinellas County since 2003.
1. Visual Inspections
We encourage our clients to perform visual roof inspections at least twice a year, ideally in early spring and again in the fall.
Use a ladder to get a close-up view. Or if you don’t like heights, step back and use binoculars to inspect your roof. You can take notes or pictures with your phone. What you are looking for is any kind of damage.
2. Spotchecking Shingles
What you are looking for here are missing shingles, curling, cupping or buckled shingles. If you spot these issues, Pinellas County roofers would recommend roof repairs. If your gutters contain lots of granules that have washed off your shingles this is another clue that your home needs roof repair or replacement. Discolored shingles can be another sign that repairs or a replacement are needed.
3. Tile Trouble
If you have a tile roof, look for any cracked or broken tiles. You might be able to restore beauty to stained with power washing, but sometimes roof tiles can become so stained that they need replacement. While stained tiles can still protect your home from summer storms, they can affect the overall architectural appeal of the home and even affect its value as well.
We encourage our clients to make these visual inspections before May, or call on our team to perform these tasks. Pinellas County roofers understand that the Tampa Bay area has a humid subtropical climate, resulting in hot summers with frequent thunderstorms. Pinellas County experiences significant rainfall during the summer months of May through October, with two-thirds of annual precipitation falling during June through September. Pinellas County is occasionally affected by tropical storms and hurricanes but fortunately has not suffered a direct hit since 1921.
4. Check Chimneys and Flashing
The flashing around chimneys and vents should be checked to ensure that none of it has become dislodged or damaged. Any structure that penetrates through the roof should be checked. These are natural weak points that can let in water.
5. Inspect the Attic
Take a close look at the interior of your attic to determine if there are any leaks, water damage, wet insulation or rot of the roof decking. If any of this is occurring, don’t delay, call roofing professionals for help. Don’t forget to bring a flashlight, work gloves and eye protection when entering the attic.
6. Clean the Gutters
Using a ladder, work gloves, leaf blower and a water hose, clean your gutters and downspouts twice a year. Gutters serve multiple purposes, including directing heavy flows away from the foundation and directing rainwater toward the appropriate drainage. If gutters become blocked, damage to your home can happen quickly. Water damage can affect not only the roof but the interior of your home.
7. Ditch the Debris
Storms in Pinellas County are quite common. Leaves, tree limbs, and dirt from nearby construction sites can be blown onto your roof and clog your gutters. It may seem like leaves, twigs, and soil are harmless, but over time that debris can cause problems, including cause stress on your interior framing. Plus it’s unsightly. So clear away debris as needed.
8. Trim Tree Limbs
We typically associate tree limbs with storm damage, but if tree limbs are touching your home or roof, they can do damage to your home from a simple breeze. Plus if tree branches are touching your home, they can provide a handy bridge for insects and other critters to get onto your roof and inside your home. Keep any tree limbs trimmed back at least 10 feet away from your home and roof.
9. Detecting Decay
If your attic inspection revealed any suspected rot or decay, then reach out to the Classic Roofing team as soon as possible. If your roof has missing shingles or tiles, moisture can penetrate your roof system and cause decay in your roof decking, as well as causing structural issues.
10. Root Out Dry Rot
Dry rot is an aggressive fungus that can cause damage to structural framing, decking and siding in your home. It’s important to note that water must be in contact with the wood for an extended time frame. A one-time leak or flood, if discovered promptly, will not cause dry rot. The most typical trouble spots are:
- Around windows, especially skylights and exterior doors.
- Around the edges of your roof, where gutters are attached to the soffit and fascia.
- The floor around the base of your shower or bathtub, caused by grout failure between tiles and long term exposure to water.
- Wood siding around the base of your house, especially if there is a hard surface that causes splash-back.
- Any wood near a long-term plumbing leak.
Symptoms include:
- A musty smell.
- Wood that feels spongy or soft.
- Bubbling paint.
- Wood that is shrinking and cracking.
Assessing these problems takes experience while fixing them requires skill and special tools. If you suspect dry rot may be a problem in your home, call or contact Classic Roofing & Construction.
Top Pinellas County Roofers
If you are uncomfortable, unsafe or feel unqualified about performing any of these tasks, you can call Classic Roofing & Construction for help. Assisting homeowners in the Tampa and St. Petersburg area is what we’ve been doing daily since 2003.
