Tips to get your roof ready for the SUMMER

As we all know, this winter was brutal.  We hit record low temperatures and had enough snow and ice to keep the kids out of school for…well, too long. While you were keeping warm and drinking hot chocolates and coffee, did you ever think to yourself, "I wonder how my roof is doing?" Let me guess, NO! The thing is, most people don’t, but once you get that first leak, it’s the only thing you can think about. That’s why I wanted to put a small list of maintenance tips together to help prevent that from happening.  

1. Inspect your roof and/or building. Look for anything out of the ordinary, for instance:
   1. Missing shingle(s)
   2. Detached gutter
   3. Hole in your membrane (rubbery surface) or an exposed nail in a shingle
   4. Excessive granules build up at the base of your downspouts
   5. The flashing around the walls are waving or looking a little baggy.  

        All these can be signs of roof aging, but can be easily fixed and repaired.

1. Clean your gutters and drains. Having clogged gutters or a drain full of debris or water will overflow the gutter and could eventually flow into your house or building.
2. HVAC Serviced. Cleaning your HVAC or changing out the filter can prevent condensation from getting into your home or building.
3. Get rid of anything that doesn’t need to be on the roof. Old antennas, satellites, or vents are areas where water can get in. No reason to have them on your roof if they are not being used.
4. Coating rusted panels, conduit lines, or even your roof. Ultraviolet rays can deteriorate your roof. Aluminum coating will cover and lengthen the life span and the rays bounce right off.

The items above are just a few maintenance tips to get your roof ready for this hot summer.  But if you would rather be inside drinking your cold lemonade or sweet tea, give American Roofing and Metal a call and we would be more than happy to do it for you.