Roofs, the top layers of your homes are the shields of your house, it takes all the beatings and protects you from harsh weather. It is important to take care of them as roofs being the top layers act as the first shield to your house, and often get damaged by rough conditions and handling – outside and inside. It becomes essential that you periodically maintain and check how your roofs are doing. Ignoring the signs will invite problems like leakages and the damages will lead to living problems. A few things mentioned below can help in maintaining suitable roofs.  

Preventing Ice Build Ups 

During the snow seasons, a lot of ice builds up under the roof membranes, shingles, and gutters, which eventually reaches the wall lines and causes internal leakages, and drips. Preventing them from blocking is necessary to avoid further roof damages. 

Installing a drip edge will help avoid this problem but it has to be maintained with proper ventilation, and installation of rain and ice shields.

Attaching heated cables along the roof’s edge in a zig-zag pattern can also help, as it would melt the ice and would not allow it to get deposited underneath the shingles, thereby preventing leakage. 

Keep Gutters Clean – 

One of the most common causes of roof damages are clogged gutters. Gutter, which is not clean, results in  water draining during the rain, which damages the roof and, as a consequence, leads to leakage. 

It’s essential to clean the gutters to avoid substantial roof damages regularly, and the following process is not complicated.

• Start with removing leaves near the downspout. Using a towel if required or even hands can do the best job.
  
• Use a hose to flush out the rest of the debris, but avoid spraying in the shingles as it can loosen them.
  
• Once you have cleared all clogs, you need to flush the gutter again with a hose that would clean everything which is left.

Examine Materials –

Inspecting the quality of the materials is necessary when they are being installed. There are times when shingles are flawed, and they begin to crack on its own. Faulty materials add to the roof leakages.

Ventilation – 

Ensuring proper ventilation on rooftops is necessary to avoid damages. Some signs of poor ventilation on the roofs are-

• Spots on the roofs– Dirty looking spots/patches on the roofs can mean that your roof has mold, algae, vegetation, and fungus growth which, if not treated well, can lead to ventilation problems and also disturb your home’s curb appeal.
  
• Peeling Paint – If the exterior paint is blistering, there are high chances that your home might have poor ventilation. Moisture is trapped in the house because of high humidity from poor attic ventilation, which makes the paints to peel off.

Installing a proper ventilation system with excellent airflow is also important. Air should go through all the rooms as well as through appliances, which would ensure circulation and avoid unnecessary heat trapping. 

Spraying – 

Regularly spraying with a garden hose is essential to keep a check on leaks. A Houston based residential roofing contractors can be urgently hired when a leak is found; ignoring the same can transform those small leakages into full roof damages, which can cost you almost 10 times what would have cost you earlier.

Sometimes, it’s not easy to pick up the leakages because the damages are way too small but should be inspected and repaired on an urgent basis if found. It might not be causing a problem now, but can eventually damage the roof. So, a regular check is necessary. 

Trimming Trees –

Trimming troublesome trees also helps in maintaining the gutters as it avoids the unnecessary deposits of leaves underneath the gutters during the shedding seasons, which clogs the drain up and causes leakages. 

Conclusion –

There are a lot of troubles when you are dealing with damages and roof leakages, some problems are just unavoidable, but many of those problems can be avoided by regularly doing some practices which help to maintain clean gutters and shingles. 

Regularly checking up on leakages is essential and should be treated urgently as it can lead to irreversible damages and would burn a hole in your pockets.

Poor ventilation on the inside can also damage roofs, so good airflow in the attic is also important. This also prevents heat from getting trapped in high areas; therefore, reducing the energy loss and probability of wasting money. 

In the end, it’s crucial that a certified technician is hired when you are having problems in dealing with damaged roofs. While you might be qualified enough to repair damages,  a Houston based residential roofing professionals come with the knowledge, expertise and training to effectively and safely repair residential roofs without you having to risk your life or break the bank.