summertime maintenance tips for your roof

If you are like most home or business owners, you would think roof damage mainly comes from heavy rain, wind and hail storms. Rightly, these do indeed offer some pretty damaging challenges. However, in particular situations, the heat and humidity of a typical Washington DC summer offers its own set of issues with regard to the maintenance of your residential roof.

Boyd Construction Co Inc offers these 4 tips for summertime maintenance on your roof:

1. Do a gutter check.
Check your gutters for debris, but also to be sure they are attached properly and are draining the way they are intended. Leaves build up in gutters, causing water to pool and back up under the eaves of your home. The prolonged weight of the debris can also cause your gutter to separate from the roof and impede the water flow. Clean your gutters once a month and check them after each storm to ensure proper water flow.

2. Check for buildup on your roof.
Do a visual inspection each summer for moss on your roof. Moss and algae grow rampantly in the summertime and can quickly cover a residential roof. Moss causes moisture damage and rotting of the wood underneath. On a dry day, you may be able to brush the moss off with a broom, but over time the moss will become more attached and may require a pressure washing to remove. Be sure to consult with a professional roofer, like the experts at Boyd Construction Co Inc, for this.

3. Check ventilation.
Check your attic for proper ventilation. Hot air rises through the attic and can become trapped without proper ventilation. This leads to moisture problems that, without fail, shorten the life of your roof.

4. Inspect your shingles.
Do a visual inspection once a month – walk around your home and look for sagging, or missing shingles. Of course any internal signs of water seepage such as stains on your ceiling or bubbling paint indicate a serious problem that needs immediate attention.

Regular inspections help keep small problems small. If caught in time, a repair may be in order instead of a complete roof tear-off and install. Call Boyd Construction Co Inc at 202-223-ROOF, and let the experienced professionals inspect your roof today.