Hoping to Extend your house with Roofing Maintenance around Westmoreland County Pennsylvania?
Our roofers can show what a roof needs through the seasons, so a Pittsburgh winter finds your roof ready
Contact us at 412-858-8858 to ask what a maintenance visit covers
Why Not Wait for a Leak, Year After Year
Rain, wind, sun and snow work on a roof around the calendar; looking after a roof a little at a time is calmer than reacting after damage.
The point of Roofing Maintenance is to stretch the life of a roof and avoid damage that spreads; it gives you a clear picture of what the roof will need next.
Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter: What Each Season Asks
Early spring is when ice damage, popped nails and loose flashing show themselves; look at the ceilings and the attic for any new stains after the thaw.
Long, warm days make summer a good time for cleaning, trimming and repairs on a roof; thunderstorms and wind can lift shingles, so look over the roof after a big one.
Fall is when a roof is made ready for winter, starting with the leaves that drop from mature trees; seal small gaps while the weather is mild enough for sealants to set.
In winter the job is to keep an eye on the roof from the ground and do nothing risky; keep notes and photographs of anything odd.
Spring, summer, fall and winter each set a different task for Roofing Maintenance; missing a season is fine, but missing several lets problems stack up.
Gutters, Valleys and Debris, Before the Freeze
Gutters that are packed with leaves hold water against the edge of the roof, and in winter they freeze solid; mature trees around Pittsburgh drop a surprising amount of debris.
Where two slopes meet, the valley gathers debris, and the debris holds moisture against the surface; brush or blow the debris away with care, never with a pressure washer.
Green Growth on a Shingle Roof: What to Do About It
Shady, damp slopes grow moss and algae, and they hold moisture against shingles that should be drying out; dark streaks are mostly cosmetic, but moss does real damage.
Harsh scrubbing and high-pressure water strip granules and push water under the shingles; zinc or copper strips near the ridge can slow regrowth.
Joints, Seals and Penetrations: What Needs a Second Look
- Edges of metal where two roof planes meet should be checked each spring and fall.
- Seals around pipes and exhaust fans can dry out, crack and split with age and sun.
- Caulk at the edge of a vent or skylight can hide a problem without ending it.
Boots, seals and flashing are the center of Roofing Maintenance, because they age much faster than the field of shingles; keep the notes with the rest of your house records.
Reading the Surface of a Roof: What to Look For
A shingle that sheds its granules loses the protective layer that shields the mat from sun; curled or cupped edges mean the shingle has dried out.
Replacing one or two torn tabs after a windstorm is quick work, as long as it happens before the next rain; a roofer can seal down tabs that have come loose.
Each round of Roofing Maintenance shows how quickly the shingles are aging and what the next step may be; many owners find a written note useful when planning.
Attic, Insulation and Ice Dams: Easy to Overlook
Warm air from the house melts the snow on the roof, and the water refreezes at the cold edge as an ice dam; frost on the nails in winter means warm, damp air is rising into the attic.
Stains on the underside of the deck point to a leak or to moisture with nowhere to go; rusty nail tips and dark stains are early warnings.
Care for the Roofs Pittsburgh Is Known For, and What Does Not
Plenty of older Pittsburgh homes have slate or clay on the steep slopes and a flat section or built-in gutter nearby; tar and old patches on these parts are worth a close look.
A visit for Roofing Maintenance should adapt to the material, whether that is slate, shingle, metal or a membrane; a roofer who knows older houses will ask about them.
Writing Down What You Find, Year After Year
A short note after every visit, with the date and what was found, builds a history of the roof; the log also settles questions about when a repair was made.
Records from Roofing Maintenance become more useful the longer you keep them; they also make it easier to plan larger work with a clear view of the roof.
Safe Jobs and Risky Ones: Where to Draw the Line
There is a lot you can do from the ground, such as watching for stains, checking the gutters and photographing the roof; never walk on a wet, icy or mossy roof.
Work on a slope, a chimney or a roof edge calls for harnesses and ladders, and it is not a weekend job; a short call can help you decide whether a visit is needed.
What the Crew Does on Site, From First Look to Final Notes
First comes a look from the yard, a chat about concerns and a check of the gutters and downspouts; the gutters and downspouts are checked early in the visit.
A written summary with pictures makes Roofing Maintenance easy to follow from one visit to the next; the record will show how fast the wear is changing.
What to Ask Before You Book: Worth Writing Down
- What exactly will you check on my roof, and can I see photographs?
- When is the right time of year for a visit on a house like this, and what is a sensible schedule?
- What would make you recommend a bigger job, and how soon?
Let Us Look After the Roof: Take the First Step
A roof that is looked after tends to last longer, leak less and cause fewer surprises; a first visit sets the baseline for everything that follows.
Reach us at 412-858-8858 to set up Roofing Maintenance for your home; tell us about the age and the style of the house.
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