Video: Preventative Roof Maintenance

OAKLAND — Host, Sarah Rutan: Though often overlooked, preventative maintenance is essential for the life of every roof. Today we’re in Oakland with Diamond Certified Expert Contributor Mike Wakerling of General Roofing Company to learn more.

Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, Mike Wakerling: Though often overlooked, and often forgotten, a preventative roof maintenance program is essential for the life of every roof.  On slope roof systems, this can entail cleaning debris from the roof and gutters, flushing the downspouts to improve proper water drainage, and checking the seal where pipes and vents extend through the roof flashing, looking for cracking and deterioration.  Also flashings and counter-flashings at the chimeneas and roof to wall junctures should be checked as well for any issues and deteriorations of any sealants used.  Any overhanging foliage should be trimmed back off the roof at this time to prevent damage to the roof.  Roofs with composition shingles should be checked for missing, cracking, or curling shingles, which can indicate it may be time to consider replacing the roof.

On flat roof systems, the flashing seals should also be checked for deterioration, but the most important issue on a flat roof is that debris should be cleaned off the roof, and the roof drains and downspouts should be clear and open of any debris to ensure that water can drain off the roof to the ground unobstructed.  Clogged drains and downspouts are the most common and damaging types of roof leaks we see because of the volume of water that is involved in these areas that can enter the structure if the drain or downspout is clogged.  Also with the weight of the water standing on the roof of a clogged roof drain, there is also the danger of the roof deck collapsing.

Host, Sarah Rutan: To learn more from local, top rated companies, visit our Diamond Certified Expert Reports at experts.diamondcertified.org.