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Hear that sound? Those asphalt shingles above your head are calling out for help. They may look tough, but shingles are actually more delicate than one might imagine. In fact, they are only as good as your maintenance program. Treat them well and they will return the favor. Ignore their basic needs and you may eventually have water seeping into your house.
Too expensive to replace prematurely, your asphalt roof will stand the best chance of keeping you warm and dry until the end of its natural lifespan if you keep up a regular maintenance schedule. And best of all, it is easy enough to do.
Asphalt shingles, often advertised by manufacturers as having warranties ranging from five to 50 years and being able to withstand all elements, need more tender loving care than one would imagine. If they could talk, they would tell you that they will perform their duties faithfully, but only if they are treated right.
Maintaining your roof is a year-round job but it does not need to be a difficult project. Modest tasks performed by you on a regular basis at the right times can easily ward off those gut-wrenchingly expensive jobs that empty out your bank account.
With a ladder tall enough to safely reach your roof, you can follow this timeline to keep your roof performing in tip-top shape.
Early Fall: September, October
Depending on where you live, fall may arrive right after summer has ended or you may have a grace period of a month or two. This is the perfect time to finish off summer jobs and transition towards the winter.
Fall: Mid-October to November
When autumn rolls around and the leaves fall, it is time to access the roof with the ladder and inspect it for the last time before winter.
Winter: December to March
It is neither pleasant nor safe to access the roof for much of the winter. Keep an eye on the roof from ground-level.
Spring and Summer: April to August
In late spring and summer, you can go full bore with roofing projects because there will be less chance of inclement weather.
Develop the habit of looking at your roof on a regular basis. Noticing roof and shingle red flags early on just might save you from a dreaded whole-house roof replacement.
Exterior
The best-case scenario is to access your roof with a ladder and walk it during good weather. Second best: stand at the top of the ladder to get closer view than at ground level. Or observe from ground level. If you see any of these conditions, your roof may be rapidly deteriorating and in need of immediate repairs.
Indoors
Many roofing conditions can actually be observed from indoors, and often before you notice exterior conditions. You never want to reach this point, as it entails significant interior remodeling work.
When you suspect that your roof is leaking, the time to act is now, not later. If weather permits and you have safe access to the roof, jump on this issue before other areas of your home are damaged. If the roof is icy, wet, covered in leaves, or otherwise unsafe, call in a roofing company. They have harnesses and other safety equipment that permit them to walk on unstable roofing surfaces.
1. Locate General Area of Leak
The leak may first announce itself to you in the form of obvious symptoms like ceiling spots, ceiling paint bulges, an attic that smells unusually moldy, or wet walls. Keep this area in mind when you access the attic.https://www.familyhandyman.com/roof/roof-repair/roof-repair-how-to-find-and-fix-roof-leaks/view-all
2. Pinpoint Drip Point
Crawl in the attic with a strong light above the identified leak area. Use easily identifiable geography to help you find the location, using landmarks such as the chimney or certain corners of the house.
Train your eye upward from the leak area below. A laser level’s plumb feature is especially helpful, as it will force you to look vertical from the leak. In fact, the level’s red dot will exactly locate the drip point.
This is where the leak is dripping, but not necessarily where water is passing through the roof. Entry points tend to be higher up on the roof. The entry point may even be several feet high up on the roof.http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/rooms-and-spaces/exterior/how-to-repair-a-leaky-roof
3. Test Leak Location
While you remain in the attic, have a partner run a water hose onto the roof and turn on the water above the leak location. It may take up to an hour for spots to form on the underside of the roof. The actual entry point will be towards the top of this spot, farther up toward the peak of the house.https://www.hometips.com/repair-fix/roof-leaks.html
4. Remove Shingle
With your ladder, access the roof. Use a flat pry bar to remove the damaged shingle. Carefully slide it out. Be sure not to damage neighboring shingles.
5. Replace Shingle
Slide in a new shingle. Coat roofing nails with roofing adhesive before driving them into place.https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/fixing-damaged-roof-shingles
Maintaining and repairing your roof on a regular basis is truly the “stitch in time” that just might save you from costly roof replacement in the future.
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