Most homeowners don’t know very much about their roof. It’s mostly out of site, and when they do look at it, it’s from the ground and it is hard to see all the important details from far away. Plus, in many situations, the backside or another side of the roof is totally out of sight. Add to that, you need to have a ladder and a steady place on the ground to put it, then be comfortable with walking on a steep incline high above the ground! It’s no wonder most homeowners don’t spend a lot of time up there. It’s still important to know something about your roof and, if you can, climb up and take a look at it once in a while.
The North Side Or Shaded Side Is Usually The Worst
The part of your roof where the sun shines is going to be kept cleaner by the high heat of the sun’s rays. The part of your roof that is shaded, either by a tree or because it’s pointed north, will have moss and lichens growing on it. Those two plant-like growths usually feed off of rotten leaf and dirt debris that has gathered in low spots and blocked areas.
By themselves, they aren’t all that dangerous, but for your roof what they do is hold water each time it rains. This creates a stopping point for more debris and can help make your roof leak prematurely. You can contribute to keeping your roof clean by installing a pure zinc metal flashing right at the peak of your roof which will leach tiny amounts of zinc each time it rains and kill all moss, lichens, bacteria, and molds as well. You should ask a roofer to install that for you, especially if you have trees nearby.
If You Notice Curled Shingles, Missing Rocks, Or Other Problems
When a roof reaches its final years, it will be because a lot of the asphalt in the shingle fibers have finally been washed away by the elements. This leads to the shingles curling on the edges and a lot of the sand on the surface of the shingles will start to wash away. The problem usually is that you can’t see the extent of the problem from the ground because it could be just in spots or totally on one side and not the other.
You might think that you could get away with only patching that one spot or only replacing one side of your roof. You could, but, soon enough you’re going to have to replace the entire roof anyway, so you’re just buying yourself a year or two.
The other places that have problems are going to be the ridges and valleys of the roof. The ridges wear out much faster because of their location and should be replaced half-way through the life of your roof. Valleys also wear out faster because of the large amounts of water that pass through them, they needed to be inspected every few years and replaced as well.
If you don’t feel comfortable climbing a ladder and walking on your steep roof, you can almost always get an inspection for free or at a discount. Our team of roofers offers free inspections where we will give you an estimate on the cost to fix your roof. It is always best to get several estimates before you decide so that you have a good idea of the prices, services, and guarantees that are being offered. Before hiring a roofing contractor, be sure to check their customer satisfaction rating with the Better Business Bureau.
We are thrilled to be serving most of Central MN, Roseville & the North Metro area. Call us today (320-204-2264) and we can help guide you, provide a FREE inspection and help you identify areas of concern. Perhaps its a minor repair that is needed to prevent damage in the future. We will provide all the images, video and inspection notes to you so you have a detailed description of your roofs health. Hang onto it because if you have a storm, this is a great way to show before/after damage to your insurance company. We are happy to help. Call us at 320-204-2264 or simply complete a contact us form and we will come out and meet with you. Together we can identify any areas needing to be addressed before they become major concerns.