The roof is one of the most important parts of any structure. It’s what protects the rest of the structure from the elements—especially moisture. When roofing fails, the damage that can occur to the rest of the structure can be catastrophic. At the very least, expect to pay to fix the water damage. More extreme roofing failures, or rooftops that have been leaking unnoticed for a long time can result in thousands of dollars of repairs—everything from mold remediation to repairing rotted structural elements. That’s why proactive summer roofing maintenance is crucial.
What’s more, summer is the best time to tackle this task.
Ready to learn more? We’ll show you how to approach summertime roofing maintenance—and how Epilay synthetic underlayment can enhance roofing performance and longevity.
Educate Clients on the Importance of Summer Roofing Maintenance
The unfortunate reality for most roofing systems is that building owners, whether homeowners or commercial building owners, tend to ignore the building’s roof unless a problem becomes obvious. That’s why one of the best things you can do is educate your clients on the potential risks and problems that can arise from neglecting summer roofing maintenance.
Whenever you do a roofing job, or whenever you’re called upon for repairs, take a moment to let your clients know that proper maintenance can help them prevent costly repairs. That’s because routine inspections and maintenance can help you catch small leaks before they become big problems. You can also detect issues like lifted shingles or other problems and correct them early, thus extending the lifespan of the roof.
Conduct Thorough Roof Inspections
The first step to roofing maintenance is an inspection to identify any issues—and before you get started, it’s smart to educate your clients on why professional roof inspections are important. It takes a trained eye to spot small details like popped nails or lifted shingles that can lead to big problems. Professional roofers can also guide maintenance and repair efforts, and provide accurate assessments of the roof’s remaining lifespan, which allows clients to start saving and planning for eventual roof replacement, if needed.
As to the inspection itself, it involves not only examining the roof as a whole, but also checking things like the eaves, gutters, and fascia, the roof’s valleys, and any protrusions from the roof, like chimneys, vents, or skylights. These are all areas where seals and other waterproofing measures can fail, especially after a long winter of snow and ice on the roof.
Be sure to ask about the age and type of underlayment, too. Products like Epilay’s synthetic underlayments act as an added layer of protection to reinforce the roof’s integrity whereas aging asphalt felt underlayment may mean the roof should be replaced before the underlayment fails.
Address Damaged Shingles
Shingles can take a lot of damage over time. Inspect for any that have cracked, curled, or blistered in the summer heat, be sure to also look for shingles that may have torn over the winter or lifted during high winds.
If you spot any problems, you’ll need to carefully remove the damaged shingles and reinstall new ones. Use a prybar to carefully break the seals on the shingles that need to be removed and pull any nails. Once you’ve installed the new shingles, take care to reseal them properly so they don’t leak. If you need to replace flashing, the same goes—take care if you need to slide it beneath shingles and be sure to seal all shingles and flashing edges well when you’re finished.
Ensure Proper Ventilation and Airflow
When you inspect a roofing system, this should also include the roof’s ventilation system. A rooftop should have both intake and exhaust vents, with the intake vents installed at the bottom of the roof, and the exhaust at the top. Make sure vents are clean and clear. This helps the roof not only shed excess humidity, but it also helps extend its lifespan of the roof by allowing it to better shed heat in the summer.
While underlayment doesn’t directly affect roofing ventilation, if you can get into the attic or look at the underside of the roof, you can often detect moisture leaks that are penetrating the underlayment. When you spot these, be sure to correct the leak to prevent moisture damage and excess humidity.
Preserve Epilay Synthetic Underlayment Integrity
You won’t be able to directly inspect the underlayment—unless the rooftop has taken enough damage to reveal the underlayment—but there are certain things you can do to ensure the integrity of the underlayment. Examine the rooftop for loose or popped nails, since these can cause moisture to seep in around the shaft of the fastener. Also, make sure that seams along valleys and around roof protrusions are watertight.
This will help keep the underlayment damage-free—and that’s important because one of the biggest benefits to Epilay’s synthetic underlayments is that it’s an extra layer of protection against extreme weather events. The longer the underlayment lasts without being compromised, the more protected the roof deck will be.
In Conclusion
Summer roofing maintenance, including inspections conducted by a professional, is crucial. It will help you keep clients happy by identifying small problems while they can still be repaired easily rather than allowing those problems to grow. Prioritize maintenance with your clients to help them get the most from their roofing system—and let them know how Epilay synthetic underlayment can help create a long-lasting, high-performance roofing system, which will save them money in the long term.
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