You get in your car and turn the key but there’s things you can’t ignore.
Your car won’t start. It stalls out. It hesitates.
You hear knocks and vibrations. Your dashboard lights come on.
So, what do you do? You get a tune up!
Your mechanic inspects your motor and replaces oil, fluids, filters, spark plugs and other parts. Why? Because routine maintenance is necessary to keep any car running smoothly.
Ten Years? Time for a Tune Up!
Now get out of the car and look up at your residential or commercial roof. If it’s ten years old or older, it’s time for a roof tune-up. A roof tune-up is routine maintenance that will keep your roof performing like it should. Your roof takes a beating. After all, it’s exposed to extreme heat, frigid cold and ice, pouring rain, falling debris, strong wind, and pollution. It needs regular maintenance to keep your structure safe and dry, and to give you peace of mind that you know what’s going on up there! While vehicle manufacturers generally recommend a tune-up after every 10,000 miles, your roofer may recommend a roof tune-up every ten years. And while a mechanic goes under your hood to work on a motor, your roofer will go up on the roof to do an inspection. Your roofer will offer suggestions and give you a free estimate if anything needs to be repaired or replaced.
Here’s what a roof tune-up may include, IF NEEDED:
- A total inspection of your roof from end to end
- Remove debris from shingles and vents
- Locate, analyze, and repair any leaks
- Replace damaged chimney flashings
- Replace damaged fixture flashings
- Replace apron flashing
- Replace damaged or loose shingles
- Replace damaged ridge caps
- Re-nail nail-pops
- Re-seal roof seams
- Re-seal pipe collars
- Inspect chimney for leaks and condition
- Inspect interior water stains
It’s very important to take care of your roof so it lasts as long as possible. One of the first things your roofer will do is to remove leaves, sticks and other debris. Debris on your roof can stop the water from running down your shingles and into your gutters, where it is sent away from your building and foundation. Debris can block your vents and encourage stains or mold. Debris can trap water on your roof and create serious water damage in the underlayment beneath your shingles. When water can’t flow smoothly to the ground, it can seep in and cause wood to rot. Your roofer is trained to locate trouble spots and to look for areas that may be compromised.
Your roofer may decide to re-seal your roof seams or pipe collars if there’s evidence of water seeping in. Your roofer will look for gaps, cracks and water damage. Resealing roof seams and pipe collars will give you another layer of protection.
Shingles can get brittle and dry out as they get older. During a roof tune-up, your roofer will inspect the condition of your shingles. The roofer will look for shingles that are cracked, curled, bald, loose or missing. Your roofer will look at the condition of the granules that coat your shingles and take note if granules are collecting in your gutters. Your roofer can determine if your shingles still provide a protective waterproof barrier.
Major storms can cause serious damage to a roof and that’s another reason to consider a roof tune-up. You can’t always see damages from below, and you may not even know the damage took place until you notice interior water spots. Your roofer will check for storm damage and offer suggestions on how to repair it, or how to prevent it from happening again.
Don’t forget your gutters!
Your gutters also take a beating from rain, weather extremes, ice, snow, wind, storms and general use. It’s important that your roof inspection is done by a roofer who also knows gutters and the preventative maintenance to keep them functioning property. Ask your roofer to include a gutter tune-up. Ask about gutter guards to keep debris out.
Here’s what a gutter tune-up may include, IF NEEDED:
- Remove debris from gutters
- Tighten loose gutters
- Replace damaged or missing gutters
- Tighten downspouts
- Examine slopes and water flow
- Examine drainage and run-off
Take care of your roof and gutters now and they will take care of your residential or commercial property. Roof tune-ups and gutter tune-ups may be all you need to keep your structures safe and to put off more expensive replacement for a longer period of time.
Why tune-up? It will protect your investments. Ask Adam Quennenville Roofing & Siding about professional roof tune-ups and gutter tune-ups at your residential or commercial property. You may also want to consider other affordable alternative such as Roof Shampoo® for stained roofs, or Roof Maxx®, a solution that can add five to 15 years to the life of your shingles.
Blog by Deborah O’Neill, Allen Media, Inc.
Vice President of Operations
