Why Bother Getting My Roof Repaired Now? It's Summer!

Essential Roof Repairs - Why Summer Is No Exception

You're probably saying to yourself, "Ahhhh, it's summer! Time to gear up on all my barbecue equipment, get the pool going, and buy me some tikki-torches."  Yes, it's time to think of all the wonderful outdoor activities that you can do, like going to the beach, buying your outdoor furniture, and even sitting inside with a glass of iced tea next to the air conditioner. 

There's only one problem with thinking this way: your home will suffer. What do I mean by that? Well, most people count on summer being a time for sun and fair weather, but that's often the exact opposite of what can happen. Summer, especially in June and July can mean ferocious thunderstorms, downdrafts, and even hail. 

As I write this blog, a steady stream of showers that were not forecast is settling in my area. Overnight there was so much dew that it rolled off the roof, streaming out of my gutters this morning. Here are a few things to check for that you may have overlooked: 

1. Are my gutters clean?

You might not be thinking about your gutters right now, but the first really good thunderstorm (forecast for every night this week) will produce heavy localized downpours that will quickly inundate clogged gutters. Overflowing gutters leads to facia damage (that's the piece of wood under your roof-line that the gutters are attached to). Facia damage such as rotted facia and holes in facia can result in water that slowly seeps into your home, causing leaks at the ceiling line and running down the walls. Nothing ruins a nice sheet-rock and taping job, as well as wallpaper or paint jobs quicker than a leak from damaged facia. This can also lead to mold growth, and occasionally, ceiling failure.

2. Is my roof sealed?

Above is a picture of a rubber roof that has suffered years of sun and ice damage. It's a torch-down roof, the kind people use for their porches or solariums, or even their entire houses. Torch-down lasts for many years - but it needs constant up-keep to work at its very best. 

Here's a worn-out roof. It's at the end of its long life, and has lost granulation (the sand that covers it), the shingles are no longer nailed down properly, and there are gaps all over. If this is what your roof looks like, you need to get a professional over right away to access the possible damage that's going on - right away. The sooner you do that, the less you'll have to pay in plywood replacement. 

3. Is my chimney sealed, crowned, and capped?

Here's what you want to look for - or rather, have a professional check: Your chimney crown is often the cause of many issues, and having a solid, leak-proof cement seal is essential. 

The bottom area showing is a good, well-sealed connection between your chimney and your roof. Step-flashing, ice and water shield, lead flashing, and (occasionally) tar placed correctly, will ensure that you will not suffer any leaks. 

4. Is anything else that comes through my roof that needs to be well-sealed? Pipes:

Above you can see an example of a bad boot that has been tarred again and again. Seriously, more tar will not help a crack in a pipe boot. It needs to be replaced - which is a relatively easy and painless job to do. The shingles must be removed, and a new boot fitted over the pipe. Then the entire area should get new ice and water shield, and new shingles placed back down around it. See the second photo? Now that's a nice boot. It should look clean and stable. 

5. Are my skylights sealed, clean of debris and "floating" correctly? 

A well sealed skylight (above has the curb exposed to show how we will extend the ice and water shield and then reapply the surrounding shingles) will function perfectly for four or five years. After that, you should consider having it re-sealed. Yes, it's just a fact of life: if you have a skylight, count on the seals needing to be refreshed at least every 5 years. 

Now that I've shown you what needs to be done, why are you waiting around? Get crackin' - the sooner you take care of your roof, the sooner you can: 1. get it applied to your homeowner's insurance, thereby saving yourself money, 2. fix anything that's leaking, saving you both outside and inside repairs, 3. being ready for hurricane season, and any thunderstorm that might pop up, 4. being ready for the fall, when lots of unexpected weather begins. 

Call your local roofer today, and if you have any questions, please feel free to email or message me to discuss anything roof-related. - Nick The Roofer - 631-281-9100 bestquality626@gmail.com