Being a homeowner is one of the most fulfilling experiences one can have, but it comes with its own set of responsibilities, particularly when it comes to home maintenance. One area that often gets overlooked is the roof, a critical part of your home that protects you from the elements.
For Arizona homeowners, the climate presents unique challenges for roof maintenance, especially given the state's intense heat, dryness, and occasional heavy rains during the monsoon season. In this comprehensive guide, we present a list of essential roof maintenance tips that are tailored to Arizona's unique climatic conditions.
Regular roof inspections are vital to maintaining the longevity of your roof. Ideally, your roof should be inspected twice a year, once before the intense summer heat hits and once before the monsoon season begins. Look for signs of wear and tear, such as loose, missing, or damaged shingles or tiles.
In Arizona, the intense sunlight can cause the roof materials to age prematurely. Therefore, pay close attention to any signs of discoloration or warping. Hiring a professional roofing contractor for these inspections is advisable because they have the expertise to spot potential issues that an untrained eye might miss.
When thinking about roof maintenance in Arizona, cleaning should be high on the list. It may not seem as critical as other tasks, but it's crucial for a couple of reasons:
You can use a broom or a blower to clean your roof, but take care not to damage the roofing material in the process. Regular cleaning can extend the life of your roof and help maintain its efficiency in the challenging Arizona climate.
Your gutters are designed to channel rainwater away from your home, protecting the roof, walls, and foundation from water damage. However, when gutters become clogged with debris, they can't perform this essential function. The water can overflow, seeping into your roof or walls and leading to problems such as rot and mold growth.
Arizona's monsoon season, characterized by heavy and sudden downpours, can quickly fill your gutters with water. If your gutters are clogged, the risk of water damage to your home increases significantly. Therefore, ensuring your gutters are clear and in good working order before the onset of monsoon season is crucial.
Make it a habit to clean your gutters at least twice a year – once in late spring, preparing for the monsoon season, and once in early fall, after the rains have passed. Keeping your gutters clean and well-maintained is a simple step that can save you from potential headaches and costly repairs down the line.
Homeowners must carry out regular maintenance tasks to keep their roofs in good condition. These tasks may include replacing damaged shingles, repainting weathered sections, or resealing gaps that may appear over time.
A particularly effective maintenance strategy for Arizona homeowners is the application of reflective roof coatings. A reflective coating on your roof can greatly reduce the heat it absorbs by reflecting the sunlight away. This not only increases the lifespan of your roof but also improves your home's energy efficiency by reducing the cooling load.
This can be particularly beneficial in the sweltering Arizona summers when air conditioning systems are often working overtime. With regular maintenance and smart strategies like reflective coatings, you can better protect your roof against Arizona's challenging climate conditions.
Even though Arizona's arid climate may not seem hospitable to pests, don't be fooled. The state is home to a range of wildlife, some of which can cause significant damage to your home's roof. Birds, rats, and even certain insects, such as termites, can pose a threat.
It's important to inspect your roof regularly for signs of these pests. Look out for nests, droppings, gnaw marks, or even the pests themselves. If you see any signs of infestation, acting quickly is crucial. Pest problems can escalate rapidly, leading to severe damage that can be costly to repair.
In the event of a pest issue, it's usually advisable to call in a professional pest control service. These experts can effectively and safely eliminate the problem, minimizing the risk of further damage to your roof.
Ventilation might not be the first thing you think about when considering roof maintenance, but in Arizona's climate, it's crucial. Without proper ventilation, the intense Arizona heat can lead to hot air buildup in your attic.
This can have a twofold negative impact:
A properly ventilated roof allows hot air to escape, helping to regulate the temperature in your attic and, ultimately inside your house. Similarly, sufficient insulation can help keep your home cooler in the summer by reducing the amount of heat that penetrates your living space from the roof.
Making sure your roof has the appropriate ventilation and insulation is an integral part of roof maintenance that Arizona homeowners should not overlook.
Arizona's monsoon season can bring severe storms, heavy rains, and even hail, all of which can wreak havoc on your roof. Make sure your roof is in good shape before the season begins to minimize potential damage.
After any significant storm, inspect your roof for damage, and if necessary, call in a professional to conduct a more thorough inspection and make any necessary repairs.
While there's a lot homeowners can do to maintain their roofs, there are times when professional help is necessary.Major repairs or roof replacements are not DIY jobs; they require a professional roofing contractor's skills, experience, and tools.
Here are several reasons why:
When it comes to roofing in Arizona, the unique climate and weather conditions pose specific challenges that not every roofer might be familiar with. Therefore, investing in a roofing contractor who understands Arizona's climate and roofing needs is crucial.
Maintaining your roof in Arizona's demanding climate requires diligence, but by following these tips, you can extend the lifespan of your roof and protect your home from the elements.
Remember to inspect and clean your roof regularly, keep your gutters clear, conduct necessary maintenance, monitor for pests, ensure proper ventilation, prepare for the monsoon season, and hire professionals when needed. Doing so helps ensure that your home remains a safe, comfortable, and efficient place to live.
As December rolls through, and the rooftop reindeer have come and gone, we hear the same problem year after year. People call in for roof inspections after finding shingles on the ground and hoof prints up top. We have a small list of things to look for, that way Santa has a clean landing and doesn’t damage anything by accident.
As much as Santa loves seeing houses decked all around, you must be careful to leave room for him to land on your roof! Rather than just throwing all your lights and decorations on the roof, try to plan for a lighter roof load. Keep your lights in straight lines, creating a lane for Santa to land in, and avoid keeping too many stand up decorations on the roof (should one of Santa’s reindeer knock them down caught in your shingles).
If you have a chimney, make sure you clean it nice and good. The last thing Santa will want is to slide down a grimy, soot-filled chimney to deliver. Additionally, try to keep the front of the fireplace clear so Santa has a clean exit!
It’s safe to say that you’ll be on the “Nice” list this Christmas if you’ve been cleaning your gutters. If you have not cleaned them out recently, you’ve still got a few days before Christmas to get them squared away. Clogged gutters can cause damage to your exterior walls, or to the foundation of your home. If Santa notices damage, he may not have a safe place to land!
You may leave out a nice treat for Santa every year, but what about for his trusty delivery partners? A nice snack could be some leafy greens carrots or an apple if you want to really treat them!
Check your yard for anything that may hinder Santa on the busiest night of the year. Trim any overhead branches, make sure any large piles of leaves are raked and thrown out, replace any of your broken or missing shingles, and make sure your lights are all active (just to give Santa some more illumination). If you are in Northern Arizona or anywhere else that experiences snow and harsher conditions, make sure your roof is clear of snow and break any ice dams.
Of course, if you want to have the safest conditions and some peace of mind, the best thing you can do is to get a proper roofing inspection. Fortunately for you, Mikku and Sons works with Santa year-round inspecting roofs for his arrival. If you want to make sure you’re ready for Santa and his reindeer, give us a call today!
Here in the Southwest, we tend to ignore our roof. One of the most critical features of our home, because we have so many days of sunshine every year. Then the monsoon season comes and all of a sudden we regret not doing our routine maintenance because we have a big, expensive problem with roof maintenance during winter.
You can only expect your roof to last about half as long as it should if you don’t regularly maintain it. Your roof accumulates damage every day from the elements – rain, the hot sun, even pests and people walking on it. Pile on to that the even more intense heat and periodic heavy rains from the monsoon season and it’s a disaster waiting to happen. You could have a big roof repair just waiting to happen and you’re completely ignorant of it.
Before the monsoon season begins, at least once every year, you should have your roof inspected – especially if its a flat roof and its over 15 years old. Our roofs here in Arizona get hit the hardest during the winter rain between December and February and the monsoon season between June and September. When it rains here, we have drops in temperature that happen suddenly, causing thermal shock, compromising your roof’s surface.
In your roof’s warranty, it probably has a clause that voids the warranty if you’re not properly maintaining it, so its critical to keep up with regular maintenance, schedule routine inspections and fix any necessary problems as soon as possible.
If you’re not scared of getting on your roof, here’s a couple things you can do to increase your roof’s lifespan. Take the correct safety steps if you do, because one of the leading causes of serious accidents around a home is falling off a ladder. Also, be careful walking on it, especially if its older. You can cause some serious damage and weaken your roof if you do.
There are some roofing issues that you should leave to a professional roofing contractor. Find an experienced, licensed, professional roofer like Mikku and Sons Roofing if you find any of these problems:
