How to maintain roofs

How to maintain roofs. Whatever the roofing material of your home, wood, shingles, asphalt, or slate, there is a solution to improve the condition of your home. Don’t let that tedious leak put a dent in your property, nor let the deterioration of the materials put your family at risk.

Types of roofs for homes

If you are thinking of building from scratch or remodeling your house, here we will tell you what are the options to change the roof.

The following types of roofs are very very common.

Flat roofs for modern houses

The houses with marked straight lines with walls in neutral tones are the ones that go best with flat roofs. They reinforce the minimalist style of the facade of your home, and give it an avant-garde touch.

Among the advantages of installing a roof in this way we have that:

Its cleaning is very easy: being a flat roof, you do not run any risk when cleaning it. So there is no need to call an expert for maintenance.

It contributes to energy savings: the way the roof is laid out allows the house to stay cool.

Gable roofs for rainy areas

Ideal for the winter season or locations with abundant rainfall. Gable roofs are those that are composed of two large folds or skirts that meet in the middle forming a large triangle. The opening or closing of this will depend on the frequency with which it snows or rains.

That is why we see in icy territories houses in the shape of triangles, since their roofs go from the ground to a peak where they join. If this is your case, gable roofs are the right ones for your home, which will provide you with the following advantages: temperature control, savings in construction costs and modernity.

Asphalt tile, easy installation

For the reform of houses in sunny spots is recommended asphalt shingles for roofs. Its substance contains granule and asphalt laminate along with other resistant materials. And, it’s an economical and easy to install type of roof. There are fiberglass and organic asphalt shingles, whichever you choose, if you’re good at building, you can put it on yourself.

Metal shingles for larger budgets, How to maintain roofs

Metal shingles are one of the most expensive building materials. But it’s worth choosing for its benefits:

• Easy installation

• It’s ultra light

• High resistance and long life

• It’s inexpensive to maintain

• It gives the house a modern look

• Wood shingles for country style

Even if you are in the city, you can have a country style house just by putting a wooden shingle roof on it. It’s uncommon to see homes with this look, but in interior design it’s trendy to decorate with a country feel.

All-weather slate shingles, How to maintain roofs

For countries with four climatic seasons, the most recommended for their homes is to have slate tile roofs. This type of slate roofing tile is suitable to resist all climatic aggressions, they do not require maintenance and are very durable.

How to maintain roofs

Once you know the types of roofs there are, which one you have installed on your house or which one you want to install, let’s see how to maintain each one.

Care for metal tile roofs, How to maintain roofs

Regular maintenance of metal shingles will ensure their proper functioning. Here is a short list of recommendations to prolong their service life.

Every four months, or after a storm, inspect the condition of the roof. Observe if a shingle is missing and replace it. If there is damage to the apexes, flashing or dormers, call a professional immediately to prevent leaks.

Keep the roof free of leaves and water stagnation. You can do this more frequently during the rainy season or if you live in a wooded area. Clean the drainage channels, because if they are clogged, water will not be able to circulate. This could cause the water to freeze between the shingles.

It’s important to note that if you live near the coast, you may notice that your metal shingle roof has black spots. These are algae growing on it. To avoid this inconvenience, it makes the most sense to buy algae-resistant shingles.

Keep your wood ceiling in good condition

Wood is the most delicate building material. It’s susceptible to the intensity of the sun, moisture, and insects. To prevent these factors from deteriorating your wood shingles, it will be necessary to cure each shingle prior to installation. Periodically maintain your roof.

It’s recommended that after every season you do maintenance to wood roofs. However, if the climate in your area is very changeable, it’s best to inspect the condition of the shingles every time you consider it necessary. So that any damage can be immediately reversed.

For this operation to be successful you must have carpenters who are experts in this type of reform. But, if you know something about joinery and know how to walk on the tiles, remember to have on hand the following materials: brushes, brushes with thick bristles, spatula, sandpaper of different grits, special putty for wood. And do not forget to protect yourself with gloves, goggles and mask.

How to do it?

For regular maintenance, follow these steps.

Clean the roof with a brush to remove any accumulated dirt or debris.

Sand the shingles in the direction of the wood lines. Use coarse sandpaper first, then fine sandpaper, and once the surface is evened out, remove the dust with a brush or paintbrush.

Check for insects in each shingle crease. If you find them, spray a pesticide or termite protection treatment.

If you notice cracks, fill those spaces with caulk. Allow to dry before proceeding.

Use a soft sandpaper to smooth out any bumps left by the putty.

Finish with varnish, wood wax or paint.

Cleaning for gable roofs

The cleaning of this type of roof is quite easy, even if it turns out to be exhausting. As we already know, these are very steep, so there is almost no debris accumulation on them. However, since they are typical of regions where it snows frequently, it will be necessary to remove the snow that may have stuck to them after each storm.

More info Is it possible to make a complete renovation living at home?

These roofs can be made of concrete or ceramic, metal sheets, asphalt or wood. Depending on what they are made of, special maintenance will be done from time to time.

Concrete gable roofs are durable, resistant, acoustic and basically do not require special maintenance. But if you detect any cracks, repair them immediately with more concrete.

If they are made with metal sheets and you notice any damage, it’s best to replace the piece. 

Wood, on the other hand, requires special treatments, which are no different from those applied to wood shingles. While asphalt is the least used because of its little flexibility for styles and little contribution to the environment.

General information about roof maintenance

If you have detected a leak, call a professional immediately to properly repair the problem.

Do not attempt to repair the roof yourself unless you know how to do it professionally.

Avoid doing roof repairs during the winter, as you may risk the life of the person doing the work. And your home could suffer major damage.

Keep your gutters clear, so that when it rains, water will flow and not pool on your roof.

Watch for changes in your home’s interior roof, as this may indicate deterioration of the exterior roof.

When to inspect roofs?

Cold, heat, moisture and high winds can all deteriorate your home’s roof. That’s why it makes the most sense at the end of each season to thoroughly check the condition of your home’s roofing. Especially before and after the beginning of summer and winter, since these are the most intense seasons.

Temperature changes during the same day also affect the appearance and functionality of roofs. If it’s very hot during the day and cooler at night, this can accelerate damage.

Regular roof maintenance will save you headaches, because it will take care of any imperfections in a timely manner. Include this part of the house in your annual cleaning plan. If you want a professional to be in charge of checking the roof of your house, contact us, we have the best specialists in renovations.