Owning a new home is an exciting point in anyone’s life. However, it’s usually something of a learning experience as well. As people live in and take care of a home, they typically begin to learn a lot about it. And in particular, homeowners will slowly learn about how vital and yet fragile a roof can be. However, there’s no need to take a long path toward that experience. A few simple tips are enough to give new homeowners some critical understanding of their roof.
One of the first things to keep in mind is that living things aren’t a good match for one’s roof. People are usually drawn to the idea of nature coexisting within their lives. But they’d do well to limit that to pets and houseplants because the flora eager to live on people’s roofs are usually quite destructive.
Mildew is usually less of a danger than mold. But this shouldn’t be taken to mean it’s OK to leave alone either. Mildew’s threats tend to be visual. As mildew grows, it will discolor parts of the roof. It can also damage shingles, though much less than most.
Moss is one of the broader dangers to a roof’s overall integrity. It can act in a similar way to a sponge. People should consider just how much of a weight difference a sponge has when dry than when it’s soaked. Moss can have a similar reaction to water. It can build up size and mass reasonably quickly. What’s worse, it can press that damp surface and weight down onto vulnerable parts of a roof. This can essentially rot away the body underneath moss.
People who know a little about home maintenance might think that a good pressure washer would take care of either problem. However, pressure washing tends to introduce more problems than it solves. It is indeed an effective way of getting rid of mildew. But at the same time, one also usually wears away at the protective granules in shingles. This can leave a roof more vulnerable in the aftermath of the pressure washing than the mildew still in place.
The solution to both the moss and mildew issue is to call an experienced pro for help. One needs to ask where the top roofing contractor near me is located. By hiring a leading roofing contractor near me, the new homeowner can be assured that he’s tapping into the experience and talent.
This leads to the next point that new homeowners should keep in mind. Leaks are one of the more common areas where people assume they can perform repairs on their own. But this perception is ultimately deceptive. In reality, there’s almost always more leaks than one is seeing. The visible leak is usually along the lines of the tip of an iceberg. It’s just the first and most visible manifestation of something much more significant. As such, the new homeowner needs to know to call an expert in for further analysis and repair.
The homeowner should not go onto the roof to look for the source of the leak. A homeowner should never go out onto his roof for any reason. Part of this is because untrained people don’t know where they can safely step. If they go out looking for leaks, they might dislodge shingles. And this tends just to create all-new leaks. One also faces a significant danger of falling. This is even more true if there is something wrong with the roof. Anything that damages a roof can also cause one to slip and fall. Meanwhile, the experts have the training needed to go out onto a roof while still staying safe.        Â
