The Roof Maker » Roof Tips

Get Your Mind On the Gutter

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:28:22 +0000

Owning a Wilmington home comes with its own maintenance list. Some jobs are small and others are ones that we would rather do without. Rain gutter cleaning is one of those chores that is required, but does not rank high on the fun meter.

A home’s gutter system is an intricate network that keeps the foundation safe and intact. Without it there is a myriad of complications that can arise – all of which can lead to costly repairs. That’s why it is vitally important to insure that the gutter system is free of debris.

It is necessary to keep the gutters free of leaves at least once a year. Late winter or early spring is the best time since you have accumulated all of the leaves from fall. You will certainly want to clean your gutters before the rains start in Wilmington. Try to clean them out any earlier than the last drop of leaves and you will just have to repeat the process. If you happen to have a lot of trees over or next to your Wilmington home, it may be necessary to clean them out twice per year.

To properly complete the rain gutter cleaning task, you will need a tall ladder, an old broom or mop handle and some basic tools. A hand broom, similar to one for brushing out a fireplace, will be useful for brushing the leaves together. Use the broom or mop handle to push debris down the gutters towards the bottom. You may have to take a hose with a strong spray nozzle and use the water in a jet stream to finish pushing them all the way down. You should be able to tell when they are clear by looking down inside and seeing daylight from the bottom hole.

Alternatively you could use the scoop method of lifting leaves and debris out of your system. Try pushing it all to one spot with the broom handle or water jet and then use a simple trowel to lift out the leaves. Depending upon the size of your gutters, a small hand spade may do the trick. One benefit of this method is being able to toss the debris and leaves into a catch-all that you can easily move to your compost bin or Wilmington garden as mulch. However, you will have to be careful not to damage your gutters.

The tools are for minor repairs that you find during your rain gutter cleaning efforts. There will undoubtedly be some loose connections here and there that you can tighten. Better to do it while you are up there than to have to make another trip. While doing your rain gutter cleaning do some inspection of the gutters for shingle debris. If there are a lot of flakes that resemble small, black gravel from the shingles then you may want to have your Wilmington roofing contractor come out to inspect your roof as well.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=S._Dinkins

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Main Causes of Roof Damage

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:17:35 +0000

Damages to a Southport roof can have many causes. Some of the causes of roof damage are connected to the type of roof you have. Whether you are trying to protect and extend the life of an existing roof or you want to protect a new roof, here are some of the main causes of roof damage.

1. Poor Maintenance. It is important to regularly inspect your roof for small problems and damages and immediately make repairs. This is especially true if your roof has little or no slope. Regular inspection and maintenance will prevent small minor damage from becoming a major problem or leak.

2. Wind Damage. Over time any wind can loosen nails in roofing materials. When this happens, a moderate wind can damage the roof. Strong winds and flying debris can also damage a roof, often removing some or all of the roofing material. The best way to avoid this potential damage is to check the roofing and the insulation regularly to be sure it is securely attached to the roof deck. You should also have a secure perimeter fastener.

3. Other Weather Damage. Most roofing materials can be damaged over time by exposure to various weather conditions. If you live in an area likely to see large snow accumulations, you need to be sure the roof is adequately supported against the weight of the snow and properly sloped so the snow will not stay on the roof any longer than necessary. If you live in an area prone to hailstorms, you should know that hail can cause serious roof damage, and you should carefully inspect your roof after every hailstorm. The sun, pollutants in the air and other chemicals in the air or in the rain can also damage roofing materials. Inspection and repair of minor damages can prevent big trouble.

4. Problems with Flashing. Because the purpose of flashing is to create a water-tight boundary between roof sections, between roofing materials and other parts of the house and between roofing materials and roof projections, problems with flashing often cause leaks. These leaks can damage the field of the roof as well as the interior of the house. Flashing problems usually happen because of either design or installation errors. Some flashing problems can also result from wind damage. Regular inspection of all types of flashing in all parts of the roof can catch problems early and correct them before there are major leaks.

Each of these major causes of North Carolina roof damage can be minimized by regular and careful inspection for early and minor problems. Immediate attention to any flaws or damages with competent repairs can help you avoid major damage to your roof and prevent the need for early and costly roof replacement.

Don’t Panic, Prepare Yourself For Roof Leaks and Water Damage

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:49:47 +0000

One of the worst things that Southport homeowners can do is panic during a emergency. If you have water leaking from your roof, and you’re not prepared, you could find yourself in a very difficult situation. Here are a couple of things that you can do to avoid water damage and prepare yourself for roof leaks.

One of the best ways to prepare your North Carolina home for water damage and roof leaks will be to have plenty of buckets, plastic and a large shop vac. If you live in an older home, that might be suffering from a damaged roof or you have already experienced roof leaks in the previous years, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pick up a few of these items from your local home improvement center.

There’s a good chance, that if it starts raining between the hours of 11 o’clock at night and six o’clock in the morning, you’re not going to have access to your local home improvement center, hardware stores or lumber yards. They’re going to be closed and your options are going to be limited.

If you don’t have enough money to repair your roof, you might not have enough money to purchase these items. If this is the case, you can usually pick up some extra 5 gallon buckets from a local painting contractor. Most painting companies have more five gallon empty paint buckets than they know what to do with and might be willing to part with a couple of them.

There are all sorts of different ways to gather these items without any money, you just need to be created. My main point in writing this article is to prepare yourself for roof leaks and potential water damage. I suggest that you read a few more articles on these topics, to prepare yourself for other types of home damage emergencies, also.