Either keep your roof clean or keep yourself prepared for a large repairing cost. Because it lies out of our view, it can accumulate debris without check, which in turn can cause damage to the roof. If such damages are left unaddressed for long, they may cause the roof to leak. Leaking roof is not only annoying, sometimes it can even damage the very structure of the building. Therefore, to save on the repairing cost, maintain the roof as one maintains the visible part of the house and the first step towards taking care of roofs is to have them inspected on regular basis.
Very often, you will hear odd noises and scratching coming from the roof. The best way to tell if pests have overtaken your roof is by inspecting the roof, eaves and any other protrusions where nests can be built. Some of the common pests that can infest a roof include –
• Rats
• Mice
• Birds
• Bats
• Moss
Regular inspection will reveal if any pests inhabit a roof. Inspect the roof for droppings and by the size and shape of the dropping, you can identify if it is a brown rat, black rat, mouse or a bat. Bird droppings are obviously different and birds are only pests if they start building nests in the overhanging eaves of a roof.
Even if you do not see any nest, look for their droppings. If the pests have made a colony there, they will definitely leave a large amount of droppings and if you examine them, you will be able to tell if that belongs to a brown rat, black rat, mouse, bat or a bird; their size and shape will definitely give that away. If you do not get rid of them quickly, they may invite parasites into your home and their droppings may cause many health problems.
Some homeowners install anti-nesting spike strips on their roofs or overhanging eaves. This prevents pigeons and other birds from roosting and building nests. Make sure the roofs do not have puddles of water and are dry which also act as a deterrent. Having a bird bath and inviting birds to feed and splash around is a wonderful past time. Just ensure, they do not make your roof a permanent home. As for the other pests like rats, mice and bats, while there are pesticides, which can get rid of them, these can cause harm if not handled properly.
As for the other pests such as mice, rats and bats, regular use of pesticide can help you to control their population. However, pesticide can cause health problem for the inmates too and so it is always wiser to call on pest control specialists for that. They will not only inspect your roof, but also the attic and probable entry points that you may never be aware of. Once that is done, they will not only get rid of the existing pests, but make sure that pests do not infest your home for sometime at least. Where it is applicable, they will also offer preventive measures to make your home pest free permanently.
Moss and mildew will grow where there are small puddles of water and less sunshine. If left without being removed, the moss layer can grow thick and spread over the roof. While this could look attractive, remember that moss traps a layer of water under the surface. This layer will slowly eat into your roofing and lead to widespread damage. Hence, taking care of roofs is as important as seeing to the plumbing or electrical work in a house.
Since the first step towards taking care of roofs is to have them regularly inspected, it must be made easily accessible. Besides, you must choose a dry day for such a job. Anyway, once you are on the roof, your first job will be to sweep off debris using a soft broom and then inspect the whole roof for broken shingles and mosses. For removing mosses and stains, spread the area with oxygen bleach first; for more stubborn stains you can allow that to remain that way for sometime. You can also consult experts for stain removing chemicals for the particular roofing material.
First clear off the debris with the help of a soft broom; then look for formation of mosses and other stains. For removing them, soak the affected area with a little oxygen bleach solution; for sterner stains, soak it for a little longer. Once that is done, scrub it off with hard brush and wash off it with water. Other types of roof cleaning chemicals are also available, but make sure that they are suitable for your kind of roof. Another point to remember is that whatever you do, do it with a downward movement. If for instance the water is sprayed upward, it can work its way under the shingles and remain there to cause damage to the structure. However, you can avoid all these, if you hire professional roof cleaners. They will be able to do a more thorough job because they are trained to do it.
Article by Joseph Wilkerson of Los Angeles, who is also a specialist in roofing. For more information on Los Angeles roofer, visit his site today.