Avoid These Mistakes That Many People Make on Their Home’s Roof

Keeping your home safe and protected from the weather is something that your roof does, but a few simple mistakes by home owners and your roof may start to fail. There are some things that many home owners do that they sometimes think will keep the roof performing better but it actually causes more problems for the roof and may make it fail prematurely. In this article I’ll discuss some of the things that you’ll certainly want to avoid with your roof to keep it performing as it should. 

Avoid These Mistakes That Many People Make on Their Home’s Roof

Everyone wants to keep their roof performing as it should and continuing to protect the inside of the home and keep it dry and protected from the weather. Unfortunately, there are many tips online that claim to help but they actually do more harm than good. It’s always best to use a qualified roofing contractor in Grand Rapids Michigan whenever you have roofing problems. Also, going on your roof is extremely dangerous and is not advised. You can be seriously injured or killed by falling from your home’s roof. Roofers have the 5th highest work related death rate in construction and these are professionals. So as an amateur, you really put yourself at risk by going onto your home’s roof.

You can be seriously injured or killed by falling from your home’s roof. Roofers have the 5th highest work related death rate in construction and these are professionals. So as an amateur, you really put yourself at risk by going onto your home’s roof.

Walking on the Roof Too Much

If you’re planning on inspecting your own roof (this is not advised) then be sure to do so at the right time. When the roofing is too hot walking on it can cause issues with granules being pushed down. Alternatively, if it’s too cold you may break some of the shingles because they become more brittle when cold. When walking on your home’s roof be careful and not step in areas that are problematic such as in valleys or on ridges. Walking around on the roof can loosen granules from the shingles and cause the shingles to fail prematurely.

Pressure Washing the Roof

If your roof is showing signs of mildew or maybe there is a tree that has leaves falling on the roof sometimes home owners will pressure wash the roof to bring back the original appearance of the shingles. But you should never pressure wash or use high pressure water on the roof. This can easily break shingles and wash away granules at the least. During a pressure wash like this water can travel uphill when powered and seep into and behind the top of the shingles which will later cause leaks in the roof. If you need to wash the roof you’ll need to use a lower pressure hose and always from top to bottom with the water always flowing downhill.

Allowing Trees to Contact Roof

Trees that are located around the home can help with energy costs especially in summer. They provide shade and keep the home a few degrees cooler which can certainly help on cooling the home. When trees start to come in contact with the roof however it can become a problem. As the wind blows the tree branches it’s basically rubbing away the granules that are on the shingles. Many times the granules give the shingle color and without them you may see a discoloration on the roof. The granules also give the shingles rigidity as well. So when the granules are gone it makes the shingle much more susceptible to damages. Trim trees away from the home and keep branches for coming in contact with the roof for best results.

Using Contractors that Are Not Certified

Another huge problem that many home owners make is they use cut rate roofing contractors. When it comes to your home’s roof it’s always best to use fully qualified and certified roofing contractors in Grand Rapids Michigan. By using a contractor that isn’t qualified you may end up without a warranty on your home’s roof. Plus, you put everything in your home at risk of getting damage if the roofing was installed incorrectly. Always make sure you use a fully licensed and qualified roofing contractor in Grand Rapids Michigan for best results.