The roof of your house is the single most important part of your home, as roofing protects you from harsh weather conditions and also insulates against temperature changes. Unfortunately, roofing can wear out over time, especially if it has not been maintained properly. Luckily for you, in NYC repairing a roof doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive!
In this article, I will discuss how to repair an asphalt shingle roof that has suffered damage due to age or other external factors. The first step in repairing any roof is determining what type of roofing material you are dealing with- check the attic area closely for clues such as loose shingles or cracks in flashing. If there are no signs of storm damage on your roof then make sure that the issue is roofing and not something else such as a roof vent or roof leak.
Once you have determined that you do indeed need to repair your roof, figure out what caused the roof damage. This is important because replacing just one section of the roof may not solve the issue depending on the reason for the damage. Crack shingles and missing shingles are usually signs of storm damage whereas curling and cupping indicate poor weatherproofing over time.
Roof leak detection and prevention tips
Roof leaks can be a major problem. If left unattended, roof leaks quickly turn into a major roofing concern and a costly home repairing project. The best way to prevent roof leaks is to do regular roof checks and maintain your roof.
A roof leak can show up as droplets of water on the ceiling, or as standing water on the roof surface. To detect roof leaks, walk around your roof. Check roof vents and eaves for any signs of dripping water such as wet tiles or moss growths. Walk on all surfaces of your roof and look for any standing water on the surface. Get down low and shine a flashlight through your vents and skylights to see if their seal needs repair or replacement.
Roof maintenance for different types of roofs
Roof maintenance is important for roof safety, reducing roofing-related problems, and maintaining roof warranties. An experienced roofer can identify roofing problems by looking at the roof. Here are some roof types and how roof care professionals recommend they be maintained:
-The asphalt roof needs to be sealed about every 5 years. Inspect the roof surface for cracking, loose granules, missing granules, black stains, and blistering. The manufacturer’s manual should provide information on specific products that should be used for this type of roofing. After coating the roof with trench coatings or sealers, replace any flashings that may have been removed during inspection.
-The metal roof should be inspected periodically for leaks. If water is penetrating the roof, it can be stopped with a roof coat.
-The asphalt roof needs to be inspected annually and cleaned if needed. Inspect roofing materials for any signs of aging or wear, missing granules, black stains, blistering, and loose granules. These roof types need to have their sealant re-coated after removing old flashings. The gravel surface should also be brushed off periodically to make sure no foreign objects such as leaves are blocking the flow of water towards the drains.
-Metal shingle roofs should be inspected for loose seams and sealants that require replacement every 3 years. Roofs that show signs of rust may need an application of roof coating or break oxide primer before applying new sealers.
-The roof should be inspected once a year for loose granules, missing granules, black stains, blistering, and shingle granules. These roof types need to have their sealant re-coated after removing old flashings. The gravel surface should also be brushed off periodically to make sure no foreign objects such as leaves are blocking the flow of water towards the drains. Leaking roof drains can be repaired by opening up the roof drainage system and replacing corroded or broken components.
-A tiled roof needs to make sure there is no standing water on it at any given time. If you notice any standing water on your roof, it means that you probably have some sort of roof leak or blockage in your roof. If this is the case you should hire a roofing professional to fix your roof or roof leak to avoid costly roof repair NYC in the future.
-The roof needs to be inspected annually for loose granules, missing granules, blistering, and shingle granules. These roof types need to have their sealant re-coated after removing old flashings. The gravel surface should also be brushed off periodically to make sure no foreign objects such as leaves are blocking the flow of water towards the drains.