Metal roofs are resilient, energy-efficient, and stylish, and they can increase the resale value of your home. Although they require minimal upkeep, you must care for them to extend their lifespan.
Why is it essential to maintain your metal roof?
Proper maintenance of metal roofs will help prevent potential problems and avoid unwanted and costly repair costs. Metal roofs can experience leaking, denting, scuffing, corrosion, and degradation, but regular maintenance can help identify problems early and fix them before they become serious.
Regular roof maintenance should be performed at least once a year by a professional roofing contractor because their services will help prolong the life of your roof system. Regular maintenance will help maintain the integrity of your metal roof and ensure your roof continues to perform well to provide you with protection.
Finally, regular maintenance will help keep your metal roof looking great! A roof must perform well, but it should also look great. Proper maintenance will help you get your money’s worth, and your roof will appear fresh, clean, and intact.
Tips For Proper Maintenance Of Metal Roofs
Surface Maintenance
- Clean out gutters and drains. Leaves, sticks, and other debris can build up in your gutters and drains and cause clogging, creating pooling water. Standing water can lead to premature corrosion on almost every metal roof material, so cleaning out your gutters and drains at least once a year is essential to prevent premature corrosion.
- Clean off dirt, mildew, stains, and other elements. Cleaning your metal roof and removing dirt can help extend its life and appearance. However, you must clean your metal roof safely and correctly to ensure no harm is done to the panels or yourself.
- Remove leaves and debris stuck in valleys or areas with low slopes. Debris on your roof must be lighter and can stain or scratch the metal’s paint system. Check for leaves and branches that can get stuck in spots with low slopes or horizontal planes and remove them immediately.
- Remove branches and sticks that touch your roof surface. If your home is close to trees, you must ensure no branches touch or scrape the metal roof’s surface, as this can scratch or scuff the paint system.
- Make sure no other metals or materials touch the roof. Metal or other materials can end up on your metal roof. If they contact it, these interactions can result in stains, early degradation, and the potential failure of your roofing system.
- Look for scratches, scuffs, and chipping. Metal roofs with a paint system applied to them can be subjected to scratching, scuffing, or flaking, and you must check for these signs to fix any potential issues and prevent further damage.
Structural Maintenance
This type of maintenance is more in-depth and requires the services of a professional roofing contractor. How often structural maintenance must be done is hard to predict because it will depend on the type of metal roof you have and the stresses it is subjected to, like wind, extreme heat or cold, hail and frequent temperature fluctuations.
Structural maintenance includes:
- Checking and fixing fasteners, rivets, and screws. These are used to attach the panels to the structure, and while they are engineered to withstand years on metal roofing systems, it is important to check them to ensure they are not loose, crooked, angled or missing.
- Checking and fixing loose or separated panel seams. Panels and seams that hold the panels together can make or break a metal roof system, so it is essential to check that your panels have kept their original position intact. Make sure the seams are still tight and undamaged.
- Checking and fixing loose or damaged flashing materials. Check to ensure the flashing materials are maintained, sealed and in good condition to prevent problems before they even start.
- Checking and replacing sealant. Sealants seal out water, dirt, wind, and other substances that can otherwise get into small spaces. Sealant helps make metal roofs as weather-tight as possible, and while some sealants are non-cracking and UV-resistant, others may need to be touched up or replaced.
- Checking for penetration points. It’s important to check the degradation of rubber flashings because UV rays can break the material down over time. Ensure the flashing materials are maintained, and the roofing contractor should also ensure that roof add-ons have not exposed the paint or metal on the roof.
- Looking for punctures from falling debris. A roofing contractor must ensure no punctures in any panels from falling debris. This is especially true if you live in an area prone to extreme weather events like high winds.
Regular metal roof maintenance is crucial if you want to protect your investment. This step will save you time, and your roof will continue to look and perform as it should. Regular roof maintenance will also prevent you from having to spend money on expensive repairs in the future.
Hiring a professional roofing contractor is highly recommended for all your roofing needs to ensure maintenance is done safely and correctly. The good news is that metal roof maintenance is minimal compared to other roofing materials.
Discover the Benefits of Metal Roofing Today! Contact our Specialists at Dillon Bros. Roofing for Expert Guidance and Unmatched Service
Are you interested in more information regarding metal roofing? Dillon Bros. Roofing will provide you with every detail, and our roofing contractors will help you determine if this is the suitable roofing material for your home.
We serve customers in the Simcoe, Newmarket and Gravenhurst areas and specialize in metal roofing, so you can trust our experts to meet any of your roofing needs. We have many years of experience, and our reputation sets us apart from other roofing companies. If you have any questions regarding metal roofing or require additional information, contact one of our metal roofing specialists today!