What Is Preventative Maintenance?

Roof 101 

Roofing is an integral part of a building that contributes to the proper ventilation and heat exchange in the building.

The roof, of course, is the part of the building located at the uppermost part of the building; it envelops the whole structure of the building. It can either be hip roofing with slopes on all its sides, gable roofing with two sloping sides meeting at the top to form a ridge, or a flat roof with exceptionally low pitch and nearly on a horizontal level.

Not only does the roof protect the building against wind, high temperature, sunlight, snow, and rain; it also protects against extreme weather conditions.

To care for your business or home, you need to add preventative maintenance of your roof to the checklist. By doing so, you’ll be extending your roof’s lifetime and also reducing the cost of roof repair or replacement.

In this article, we’ll consider roof maintenance, what it means and why it is important. Follow closely.

What is Roof Preventative Maintenance?

Roof Maintenance is simply the process of carrying out a check-up routine on the vulnerable area of a roof and correcting any detected faults. It is the practice of regularly inspecting and caring for a roof to extend its lifespan and keep it in good condition.

Roof maintenance generally includes general roof repair, roof inspection, gutter cleaning, mold removal, and debris removal. It typically involves inspecting the roof for damage or wear; inspecting the roof’s surface for holes, cracks, or missing fasteners; cleaning the roof to remove debris (such as loose gravel, leaves, dirt, twigs, etc) to prevent the growth of algae or moss; cleaning gutters and downspouts to prevent water from backing up/causing leaks. It also involves inspecting the roof for animal intrusion, checking the pipe boots for cracks and wear, inspecting loose or missing caulking and all flashings, etc.

There are different types of roof maintenance, depending on the type of roof and its condition. For instance, a flat roof may require regular inspections to check for leaks and standing water, while a pitched roof may need to be cleared of debris and leaves to prevent clogging of gutters and downspouts.

Generally, roof maintenance should be done by a professional roofing contractor who has the experience and expertise to offer a detailed inspection.

Note that the frequency of maintenance depends on various factors such as the type of roof, climate condition, age of the roof, etc. Residential roofs require annual inspections while commercial roofs require biannual or quarterly inspections. In areas with extreme weather conditions such as heavy snowfall or frequent storms, you may need to maintain your roof more frequently.

Why is Roof Maintenance Important?

Roof maintenance increases the durability of your roof. It, for example, prevents the growth of algae or moss which can result in roof rot and compromise the roof’s integrity. Also, leaving debris on your roof can create a dam. This can cause backup under the shingles and create a leak. However, roofing maintenance helps in clearing debris on the roof. So, by regularly inspecting and caring for a roof, business and home owners can prevent damage to the roof and extend its lifespan.

Roof maintenance also helps in avoiding costly roof repairs. By identifying and addressing minor faults before they turn into major faults, home & business owners can save costs on expensive roof repairs. For example, if a small leak is quickly detected and repaired during a roof maintenance inspection, it would prevent the small leak from aggravating into a massive leak. Also, having critters in your attic leaves biohazards in the attic. However, with roof maintenance, the issue will be detected quite earlier before the critters get into the attic.

Furthermore, regular roof maintenance can help maintain the value of your building. A well-maintained roof is an important factor when assessing a building’s overall value. Dampness or moisture in the roof negatively affects the painting of a building and consequently reduces its value.

Roof maintenance also ensures the safety of your home or business. For example, dampness in the roof, when left unattended, can cause cracking of the plaster from the roof. Also, when rainwater from the roof leaks into the wall, this deteriorates the wall and the building itself. This is quite risky for the residents as the building may fall off unexpectedly However, you can easily avoid this by carrying out roof maintenance where all these defaults would be discovered very earlier.

Roof maintenance can also help improve the energy efficiency of your building. A roof that is in good condition would insulate your building better; this will keep the building warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

Finally, roof maintenance is important for healthy living. A damaged or neglected roof can pose a safety hazard, both to the individuals in the home/business and to the building itself. For example, when the dampness or moisture from the roof affects the paint of a home/business, this can attract disease-causing microorganisms. Also, chronic leaks can lead to interior mold and mildew growth, which poses a health risk.

Why Call MGC for your Roof Maintenance?

At MGC Roofing & Construction, we have four decades of hands-on experience in installing, repairing, replacing, and maintaining roofs. We have a team of experienced and certified professionals who are adept at handling all types of roofing issues. Our team is knowledgeable about different roofing materials and systems, and can proffer custom-tailored solutions to your roofing needs.

We understand that roof maintenance can be an unexpected expense, and we are committed to working with our customers to find a solution that fits their budget and schedule.

We take pride in our work and we are committed to rendering optimum service to our clients. In our service delivery, we use high-quality materials. Our goal is to help maximize and increase your roof’s durability. We also offer valuable tips that’ll help you choose the right roof maintenance routines.

Need roof maintenance? We are just a call away. We will be happy to help you.