Your roof is the most important structural component of your home. If something were to happen to it, your home and budget would be in big trouble. Roofs are built to last for decades, but it’s important to realize that you should be using the following five tips to ensure your roof is maintained properly:

1. Protect Your Roof from Fallen Debris

Trees are the main culprit here. Most roofing companies stay in business because of roof damage due to fallen trees. You should thoroughly inspect all areas around your home for trees that could damage it if they were to fall. Pay close attention to overgrown tree limbs. Often times, they go unnoticed and wind up causing severe roof damage. It’s recommended that you take the necessary steps to get rip of trees and limbs that could cause problems. Cut them yourself or hire a professional tree cutting service. It might cost you some money, but the amount will be incremental compared to the cost of a roof repair or replacement.

2. Prepare for Bad Weather

Almost every part of our country experiences some form of bad weather that can damage roofs. Strong winds, hail, rain, or snow can all take their toll on your roof. The key to being prepared for bad weather is too properly inspect your home and yard after bad weather passes. Walk around and look for any shingles or pieces of shingles that might have fallen off your roof. If you find some, contact a roofing company to professionally inspect and possibly repair your roof so that your roof is ready for the next band of bad weather.

3. Clean Moss and Mold

Moss and mold can cause serious damage to your roof if left untreated. Mainly, shingle deterioration. Because moss and mold are organic material eating organisms, they will feed off your roof’s shingles until they completely deteriorate. You can make sure this doesn’t happen by spraying a moss/mold removal solution on areas of your roof where moss and mold streaks are present. If you can’t get rid of the moss and mold in this manner, it’s recommended that you contact a professional roofing company. Never try to power wash your roof to get rid of moss and mold, as this also damage shingles.

4. Clean Your Gutters

Clogged gutters can make your roof susceptible to water damage. It’s recommended that you thoroughly clean them every six months and after bad storms. Clean the entrances and exits of downspouts and flush them to make sure they’re draining properly. If they’re not, contact a gutter cleaning company.

5. Inspect Flashing and Caulking

Most homeowners overlook this aspect of roof maintenance. Flashing is what connects your skylights and chimney to your roof. Bad weather can cause this piece of metal to be ripped loose and leave your roof susceptible to mold and water damage. Inspect your flashing after bad weather. If it’s loose or broken, you can tighten or fix it. Also, inspect caulking around the same area. If it’s old or damaged, you should scrape it off and apply a sealant.

If you need help with your roofing maintenance, call Best Cincinnati Roofing.

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Cincinnati roof ventilation is a complex topic. You don’t need a roofer’s expertise to understand what roof vents are, and why roof ventilation is important. Most importantly, proper ventilation allows air to circulate instead of becoming stagnant. Today, our roof ventilation 101 brakes down into three main points: preventing moisture buildup, what vents do in the summer versus the winter, and why they’re going to save you money. 

1) Roof vents prevent moisture buildup inside

The main purpose of roof vents is to keep the air circulating in your home. The top floor of a home, whether that’s an attic or a crawl space, is a perfect place for stagnant air to gather and moisture to collect. Moisture in the air allows mold and mildew to flourish. Think about the classic “musty” smell that you often associate with attics. That smell occurs because the air in your attic never moves, it just gets heavy with moisture.

Roof ventilation helps vent the majority of moisture found in the air in your home. Drawing air in and out benefits your roof, ceilings, and the general level of health in your home. This is the key benefit of roof ventilation. However, other benefits exist as well.

2) Roof vents help ease the summer heat

Roof ventilation isn’t the only factor in how poorly or efficiently your house handles the heat. There are many pieces to this puzzle. A well designed, thoughtfully constructed roof can vent a lot of warm air in the summer. It’s important to remember this so you don’t think that roof ventilation is only for warmer climates. Cincinnati roof ventilation is just as important, even though it can be hot in the summer and then freeze every winter.

Heat rises. When a poorly ventilated roof gathers heat from the sun, it warms the top of your house and prevents the lower heat from rising and leaving the building. You’ll have to jack up the AC to make your home comfortable. That really adds up over time, until you’re dealing with a huge bill. Proper roof ventilation, along with good roof design and a light shingle color that will reflect light, will expel the air and allow your home to cool more efficiently.

3) Roof ventilation doesn’t affect your winter energy bill

So, if heat is expelled in summer, what happens in winter? Many people fear that roof vents actually expel the heat that their heating system puts out. On the contrary, roof vents only release the most residual of heat during the winter. Because your heating system doesn’t connect to your attic and/or crawl space, it’s likely that the light from the sun, on a cold winter’s day, heats up the attic. The heat piped into your home dissipates before ever reaching the attic. When it comes down to it, a wet, cold winter is when you need to vent the moisture in the air, most.

Roof ventilation helps keep your home cool in the summer, but that’s not the biggest benefit. Proper ventilation also removes moisture from the air inside your home. Stop stagnant air and the problems that moisture brings with it by ensuring that your Cincinnati roof ventilation is up to par.