Homes have all kinds of rooms; living rooms, dens, kitchens, bedrooms and so on. But every house has one thing in common: the roof: the one piece that really pulls the building together. Keeping your roof well maintained is as much of a foundation as the stones at the base of the house. No matter what size your house, any time is a good time for roof maintenance in Thousand Oaks, CA. Make sure to check out these areas first when deciding how much time you need to spend on roof repairs:
- The edges of your roof make an excellent place to start maintenance. Keeping gutters and downspouts free of leaves, nests and other debris fights and prevents rainwater from backing onto the roof. Excess water causes leaking and damage to pieces of the roof. Keep an eye out for signs of bent gutters, busted brackets or any other areas where water drains onto the house or the siding. Also make sure that the ground near your house slopes away at a rate of at least six vertical inches over ten feet. Water that doesn’t drain away from your house runs the risk of draining into your basement.
- Shingles direct water flow off your roof into the gutters and downspouts. Making sure that there are no gaps in coverage or damage to shingles keeps the water heading away from your roof and not leaking through it. Damaged shingles allow water to seep into the attic and create attic rot. Rain causes shingles to naturally erode. Wind can tears shingles from your roof especially during heavy storms. Hot, sunny days break down shingles and cause them to crack and flake. The elements are hard on shingles, no matter rain or shine.
- The chimney is the final stop on your roof maintenance tour. The chimney cap keeps animals from getting inside your house through the chimney, but nevertheless it’s often a target for nesting animals like birds or squirrels, so make sure to clear any nests that might be on or near the cap. The collar secures the chimney to the structure of your house while also preventing water from leaking through your roof. Flashing redirects rainwater away from the chimney and might need a little extra care depending on the complexity of your roof. All of these components wear down over time, so a regular check can catch a need for repair before things get far too damaged.
Performing roof maintenance in Thousand Oaks, CA starts with keeping an eye on three important components of your roof. Gutters and downspouts need to be kept clear to make sure they move water away from your roof in a timely manner. Shingles need to be replaced and repaired to push water towards the gutters and downspout. Protect the chimney from things wanting to get in and it will do its job by pumping things out! If any of these parts need heavy repairs, don’t be afraid to get an expert opinion before moving forward with them.