If there was ever a time your roof needed a maintenance service, it's now. Winter is about to set in and the temperatures outside are about to drop to the lowest degrees Australia will experience this year. Maintaining your roof at this time will accomplish three things: it will ensure your home is well insulated against the cold, it will prevent leaks that can damage your roofing and it will ensure proper roof drainage.
So what do you need to enjoy the wintertime? Read on to find out.
Gutters & gutter guards
Gutters are vital for proper drainage. Have a roof plumber inspect yours to ensure they are winter-ready. This entails looking for leaks, perforated areas and skewed gutters. Your roof plumber will clean, tighten, seal and align your gutters in place. If your gutters have deteriorated, get a new set of box or half-round gutters. Get some gutter braces too to hold your gutters in place. To avoid sleet or snow blockage of the gutters, have gutter guards installed as well.
Valleys
Valleys are equally important when it comes to proper roof drainage. They collect rainwater from different points around your roof and direct it to the gutters. If your valleys haven't been replaced in a while, they may be rusted or worn. This can bring about leaks or contamination of collected rainwater (if you have a storage tank). Replace them with aluminium or steel alternatives.
Roofing tiles for damaged pieces
You do not necessarily have to carry out a complete re-roof just to get through the winter safely. However, if your roof has any damaged tiles, it's absolutely important that you replace them. Damaged tiles will allows water and moisture to get under the roofing. This can easily cause rotting of the other tiles, necessitating a re-roof in a few months.
Have your roof plumber inspect the tiles to gauge the damage. Of course, the rule of thumb remains: if more that 25% of your tiles are damaged, a complete re-roof should be carried out.
Ridges
Ridges appear at the hips of your roofing such as the highest points/ peaks. They are vital in keeping water from leaking in between the roofing gaps. Ridges are highly susceptible to damage and movement. Have your roof plumber check for misplaced or damaged ridges. If the ridges are loose or broken, install new ones on a fresh mortar bedding.
Flashing material
Last but not least, get new flashing. Flashing is vital for keeping moisture out of your under-roof around structures like vents, headwalls, skylights, chimneys. The tiniest gaps on your flashing can mean an expensive re-roofing after winter. Have your roof plumber re-flash any worn areas for an air tight seal.
With these roofing supplies in place, your roof will be formidable against even the harshest of winters. You will enjoy complete peace in your home all through and your roof will last longer. For more tips, contact companies like Combined Metal Industries.
Share19 June 2015
Our dogs are lots of fun and very energetic, but they also have a scary bark. It's great to make the house more secure, but I am always worried that they'll scare people just passing by the house, so we have a tall fence to keep the dogs in. It makes people feel better if they can't see the dogs, and it makes me feel better to know that the dogs are safe and secure in our yard. This blog is all about keeping your yard secure so that your dogs will be safe inside and don't make the neighbours feel nervous.