Begin The New Year With A Roofing Inspection Checklist

Here's a roofing checklist to help you assess and maintain your roof for the new year.

Start With A Visual Inspection

To begin, you'll need to inspect your roof thoroughly. The majority of issues will be obvious right away. You're looking for things like missing shingles, faulty flashing, and clogged gutters. Make a note of any problems you discover so you can fix them later.

Keep in mind that you should inspect your roof from the inside as well. Examine the bottom of your roof from within your attic. Are there any gaps that allow light to pass through? If so, water will get through as well!

How about any wood rot or mold? That will need to be addressed, too.

It's better to conduct your inspection from the ground at this point. You don't want to put yourself at risk for an inspection by climbing up on a ladder, which isn't as safe as you think.

Remember that you can always hire a roofing company to come out and inspect your roof for you... at Integrity Roofing we provide FREE roof inspections.

Replace Broken Or Missing Shingles

After that, you'll need to replace any broken or missing shingles on your roof. Your roof has a breach in its defense when shingles are missing. When it rains, the water might seep through the cracks and cause damage to your roof and home.

This is when having a box of shingles left over from the last time the roof was redone comes in handy. Because subsequent batches may vary somewhat, these will always be the same shape and color as your old shingles. Replace any missing shingles and fill any gaps you find with those shingles.

Clear Out The Gutters

It's a good idea to inspect your guttering in the new year. Leaves from nearby trees have fallen into the gutters, and if there are enough, they may become clogged.

Clogged gutters are an issue since they are responsible for directing rainwater away from your roof. Water won't be able to flow anywhere if the gutters are clogged. It will ultimately make its way back onto your roof, soaking it completely.

Water will ultimately get beneath the shingles and cause damage to your roof if this happens. It's a costly issue, but one that can be avoided quickly and inexpensively. Simply reach into your gutters and manually remove the leaves, placing them in a rubbish bag.

Now that the gutters are clear, the water will flow freely. Installing a gutter guard, which allows water to pass through but prevents debris from falling into the gutter, will prevent this from happening again.

Replace Broken Flashing

The flashing on your roof protects your roof's seams, such as the connection between your roof and your chimney. Strong winds and storms can, nevertheless, cause damage throughout the year. It may bend or even begin to separate from the roof at times.

This is another issue you'll need to address as quickly as possible. Damaged flashing indicates that your roof is vulnerable to water damage, which you should address as soon as possible.

Consider If You Need A New Roof

While conducting your check, you may notice that the roof is beginning to show signs of wear. It might be drooping, with cracked and missing shingles, or it could just be too much to fix. In certain circumstances, replacing the roof rather than fixing it is the best option.

What are the signs that it's time to replace the roof? It all depends on the roof and how well it has held up over the past few years.

You must first consider the age of the roof. The most common roofing style, shingles, will endure for around 20 years before needing to be replaced. Because various roofing systems have varied lifespans, you should know what your roof is made of.

If you've just had a recent storm and your roof has been severely damaged, you may need to replace it entirely. See what your roofer has to say about it. In other circumstances, the cost will be roughly the same, therefore replacing it is the better option.

Roofing Checklist Ready

This roofing checklist can assist you in keeping your roof in good shape this year. To keep your roof in the greatest shape possible, replace missing shingles, empty your gutters, and clean it off.

If you're not sure what has to be done, give us a call and we can assist you in restoring the roof's appearance and functionality.