While running through your roof maintenance checklist, make sure you check out your chimney for cracks or missing mortar. Structural damage of any size can cause bricks to start falling out, which can damage your roof, let alone cause your chimney to collapse. You can either hire a contractor to patch up any mortar cracks, or break out a trowel and do it yourself. A sloping or leaning chimney can be caused by issues with your home’s foundation as well. If you notice your chimney has moved, call a contractor to have it fixed right away and check the rest of your home for signs of foundation problems.
First important step is to maintain your gutter properly. Trim your trees: Tree limbs hanging down over your roof, or even on it can be a serious hazard. Not only do they put you at risk for broken limbs falling on the roof, they can wear down and damage shingles. Tree limbs can also encourage squirrels and raccoons to gain access to your home. Keep in mind that they may be closer to your home than you think: tree limbs are often flexible and can swing several feet during a storm.
Lets talk about Replacing your roof in Colorado Springs. Clear the roof and gutters of leaves, branches and other debris. Down spouts should not discharge onto roof surfaces, but should be extended to the eaves-troughs of the lower roof. Backed up gutters can cause damage to shingles, shakes or tiles along to the edge of your roof, so be sure to keep them cleaned out. Clear out any debris that may accumulate in the valleys where two roof surfaces join. Debris holds moisture and can cause mold and moisture to being eating away at your roofing material.
A roofer should make a note of any potential problems he sees during a roof inspection (such as rust appearing on flashing, or a single popped nail). If it’s not a concern today, the roofer should check in on it during his next inspection and make a note if it’s getting worse. He may consider whether it’s time to make repairs or replacements if he notices consistent or major changes. The roofer should also make a log of any repairs he completes. This will help remind both the roofer and the homeowner down the road what sections or materials are newer than others. (After four or five years, it may be difficult to recall strictly from memory!) This will also help create a roof history for the homeowners, other roofing contractors they may hire down the road, or even for future homeowners who may want to see what work has been completed over the years to maintain the roof.
Ice dams are nasty and cause serious damage to a roof. Once the ice has formed, trying to pry it off of the roof’s surface will only make it worse, so it’s best to think ahead on this one. You’ll want to winterize your roof if you live in an area where snow is a sure thing. Purchase a roof rake and continually rake the snow off your roof before it accumulates too much. If the snowfall is heavy and persistent, apply heat strips to your roof to melt the snow before it forms into an ice dam. Read extra details at Roofing services in Colorado Springs.