Home Maintenance: Things to Know about Roofs and Chimneys

Author: lindawise | Posted: 23.05.2012

Home maintenance is an important part of protecting your property investment and securing your family. You wouldn’t want the thousands of dollars you spent on mortgage, interior design, and landscaping to go to waste. Although you religiously mow the lawn, polish the floors, and dust the furniture, often overlooked aspects of home maintenance are the ones right above your head.

The upper portion of your home is as essential as its foundation. It may not be the first thing that you or your neighbors see, but it’s your house’s primary line of defense against external elements that could weaken your home’s general structure. If you live in Vancouver, which has an average 166 days of rain per year, you shouldn’t risk the chance of finding out that the top of your home is defective in the middle of a downpour. So if you haven’t checked in a while, look up and see what you can do for these valuable components of your house:

Flashings: The intersection between your roofing material and skylights, chimneys or edges are protected by flashings. These are the sheets of metals or plastic that drain water away from junctions where moisture might seep through. Inspect them for rusting, looseness, and other signs of deterioration. If you see any obvious openings or seams, you can seal them with roofing cement. Touching up your flashings can also help in increasing the roof’s lifespan.

Gutters: To protect the roofing Vancouver homes are installed with, rain gutters are a must. It doesn’t only keep water away from your roof but away from your house’s foundation as well. Over time, gutters can become clogged with leaves, dirt, and other debris. It’s ideal to scrutinize and clean them in spring or autumn when the weather is fair. Placing guards or mesh screens on your gutters can also lessen the frequency of cleaning and prevent obstructions.

Chimney: When the cold winter approaches, the fireplace and chimney vancouver residents have kept dormant during the warm seasons are about to come alive. But before you start lighting a fire, make sure that you inspect it for loose connectors or deterioration. What’s even better is to hire a chimney professional to perform annual inspection and cleaning. This ensures that harmful gases and fumes would be completely directed out of your home.

Roof: Contractors in roofing Vancouver home owners trust recommend that you inspect your roof’s condition at least twice a year. Check for damaged shingles, holes, algae or moss growth, and other defects that can lead to leaks or roof failure. If you want to learn more about maintaining these parts of your house, you can visit hometips.com.

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