One of the most critically overlooked parts of home care is the roof. Hard to access with a large surface area, taking care of your roof can seem like a daunting and complicated task at the best of times. Of course, with a little care and consideration this doesn’t have to be the way it is. Taking care of your roof can be a fun, even educational experience if you start with a little research, care and know how. From gutter installation to general soffit and trim work, taking care of your roof depends largely on how much you know about its construction and the various components that make it up. It pays to be knowledgeable about all parts of your house and the roof is no exception. What follows is a short list of roof components and the parts of these components you’ll want to inspect a few times a year.
Starting at the edge
The beginning is the most important of any story and a roof is a story, if nothing else. So let’s start at the very outside edge. The gutter repairs of a roof don’t have to be a headache so long as you know what type of gutters you have. The gutter is made of a two parts. The railing that holds it up, generally attached to the eaves of the roof itself. This is the support network of the gutter and, as such, is one of the most critical parts to keep clean and safe. If the gutter can’t hold itself up, then it can’t do much of anything else, now can it? The other part of the gutter is the actual funnels and tunnels that catch the rain and send it down to the ground. This part of the gutter is often prone to catching leaves, dirt and debris so make sure it stays clean at all times and in all climates. There are countless gutter horror stories you can hear if you ask around so you should do your best to avoid all of them. Everything from animals nesting inside gutters to trees going between the supports and the eaves. Fortunately, none of these problems are guaranteed and they can all be dealt with by simple, occasional inspections of your gutters. When repairing or installing guitars, also be sure to make sure the siding of your house is compatible with the type of gutter you have. Vinyl siding goes with a certain type of guitar, wood siding goes with another and so on. Remember to ask what goes with what if you aren’t sure!
All you need to know about shingled roofs
Moving further inward, the actual substance of the roof itself will vary depending on the location, build and climate of your house. Whatever kind of roof you have will determine the steps you must take to repair and care for it. For all repair options, whether it be soffit and trim work, or general protection repair, the roof service you hire will want to know everything they can before they start working. For instance, slate roofs are slightly different than shingle roofs and will have different types of soffit and trim work done than any of their counterparts. Shingled roofs, on the other hand, will have slightly more difficult soffit and trim work as well more spaces to clean, including all the spaces between the shingles and the supportive eaves. For every different kind of roof, there’s a different sort of repair that will need to go into it. Know the space and measures of your roof, and your attic ideally, before you pay or proceed to pay with any roof repairing adventures. These measurements will make the professional and personal work done on your roof much more efficient in the long run. You wouldn’t build anything, a car, a boat, a chair, without knowing the exact measurements of the object, after all. The same principals apply when repairing your house. Stay smart and stay on top of all home repairs as the need for them arises. That is the key to proper, thorough home care.
