How Do You Prepare Your Roof for Hurricane Season and Heavy Rains?

Preventive roof maintenance keeps your Jacksonville, FL home secure. You can just focus on a few key areas to catch problems early and maintain performance, and then enjoy peace of mind all year round. Roof Maintenance Steps to Include Annually more Every year, plan for a professional inspection to be scheduled at least twice: once in spring and once in fall. A qualified roofer will safely climb up and examine the entire surface, checking your shingles or tiles for cracks, curling edges, or places where granules have worn away. They'll also look closely at the flashing to be sure that the seals remain tight. These are the spots that usually develop issues first, so spotting them early allows you to get a minor, inexpensive fix before any water gets in. Your roofer will also look at the gutters and downspouts for blockages or damage that could stop water from draining properly. Consistent inspections like these help you track changes to the roof over the years and have a strong sense of just how healthy it is and how many years it has left. Between Inspections Clean Gutters Between those professional visits, clear your gutters and downspouts at least twice a year or have your roofer come do it for you. You would be surprised at how quickly leaves, twigs, and dirt collect up there. You can do this yourself with a ladder if you feel comfortable doing so, or hire help to keep the job quick, safe, and thorough. Clear Roof You'll also need to remove any organic debris from the roof surface whenever it builds up. Use a long-reach tool from a second-story window or deck if possible, and always avoid walking on your roof unless you have no other choice. Foot traffic can loosen granules on asphalt shingles. Again, your roofer can do this for you quickly and safely. Trim Back Trees Trim any tree branches that hang over or touch the roof, because branches hanging too close to the roof will drop extra leaves onto the roof; plus, they create shaded spots that encourage the growth of algae and moss in our damp climate. Deal With Algae Quickly When dark streaks or green patches appear, get these dealt with right away. These hold moisture up against the roofing material, which destroys it more quickly than it would otherwise degrade. Call us about professional washing with a low-pressure mixture that can remove this safely without stripping away the protective layers. Inside Maintenance Inside the house, check the attic or crawl space for ventilation and insulation once or twice a year. While you are up there, look for dry insulation and any stains that might hint at a small leak. Catching those from inside gives you another layer of early warning. Get Experienced Jacksonville, FL Maintenance Call us today at Revive My Roof to get a free estimate. We serve Jacksonville, Orlando, and T ampa, FL as well as Dallas, TX, Nashville, TN, Detroit, MI, and Richmond, VA.

Can roof rejuvenation make your old Detroit, MI roof shingles last longer? The good news is: absolutely. On average, you can get about five more years of life per application and up to 15 years with repeated treatments and regular roof maintenance, provided the roof is still structurally sound and not severely damaged. How Roof Rejuvenation Adds Years to Your Roof more Asphalt shingles naturally lose their petrochemical oils over time. This is because they're constantly exposed to harsh UV rays from the sun, heat, bad weather, and the temperature fluctuations of winter and summer. As these oils are lost, the shingles get brittle and lose those granules that are the protective coating on top. So it makes sense that if you can find a way to restore some of the oils, you can extend the life of the roof. That's exactly what roof rejuvenation is all about. It's a specialized spray treatment where you put plant-based oils onto the shingles to protect them. The Process: The basic process of rejuvenation follows these steps: Inspection Cleaning Application First, we come and inspect the roof to make sure it's eligible for this treatment. Unfortunately, if the roof has already suffered extensive damage and the shingles are too far gone, it might not be appropriate to add a rejuvenation treatment. Assuming the roof is eligible, we would then clean off all debris, moss, and algae to make sure that the surface of the shingles is ready to properly absorb the treatment. To apply it, we use a low-pressure spray to evenly apply the rejuvenating oils to the shingles. The low pressure is important so the rejuvenator can penetrate deeply into the layers, which happens over hours. As it penetrates, it restores the lost oils and resin in the shingles and makes them more flexible. It also seals up micro-cracks, helps the granules stay stuck to the shingles, and makes them more weather resistant overall. The Results The first result you'll notice is that your whole roof will look darker and more uniform. That's because the oils have restored a fresh look. But looks don't mean much in themselves: the real benefit is that the shingles become immediately more pliable and waterproof, and the rejuvenation costs way less than a full replacement. When Rejuvenation Doesn't Work A rejuvenation treatment is not a miracle cure for roofs that actually need to be replaced. If you have significant leaks, serious curling, or have lost too many granules off the shingles, the rejuvenation treatment is going to help a little bit, but it will only delay your replacement by a very short time and ultimately means you'll be paying for a new roof, plus the treatment. The rejuvenation treatment is most valuable on roofs that are 10 to 15 years old and that are starting to dry out but are otherwise in good shape. Rejuvenation and Roof Maintenance in Detroit, MI For all things roof, including rejuvenation treatments, talk to us at Revive My Roof today. We restore and protect roofs in Detroit, Dallas, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Nashville, and Richmond.

In Florida, our properties face constant challenges from rain and sun. Roof sealing helps homeowners and businesses here in Jacksonville, FL by boosting your roof's defense against moisture and cutting down on unwanted heat buildup. Roof Sealing in Jacksonville, FL What Is It? more Sealing is when a protective coating or treatment is applied to your roof surface to create a continuous barrier that blocks pathways for water. Why Do I Need It? Over the years, small cracks, gaps, and worn spots tend to develop on your roof from weather exposure. The sealant fills those openings and bonds to the existing surface. This stops rain from reaching the decking or interior spaces below. How Else Does It Help? Keeping Things Flexible Elastomeric versions of these treatments can stretch and recover when the temperatures rise and fall throughout the day. That makes your roof more flexible and keeps the barrier intact even when the roof expands and contracts in the heat. If your roof gets too rigid, then the temperature swings can cause cracks. Protecting the Shingles The coating that your asphalt shingles originally had when they were put on holds all the granules in place and sheds water. As the natural oils in the asphalt degrade, you slowly lose these benefits and the shingles get brittle and can't keep out water. Treatments replenish those oils and restore their pliability. Stopping the Heat Reflective coatings and membranes bounce a substantial portion of the sun's visible light, infrared, and ultraviolet radiation away from the building, and the roof surface therefore stays cooler than a dark, non-reflective surface would under the same sunlight. That means you've got less heat moving downward into the attic and living areas. In air-conditioned residential buildings, higher solar reflectance can cut peak cooling demand by 11% to 27%. Cool-roof surfaces have been measured as much as 60 degrees cooler than traditional dark roofs during summer conditions. Is It Worth It? Getting a full-surface treatment rather than making repeated small repairs is often more effective when the roof starts to show widespread signs of aging. Spot fixes only address the visible trouble spots while leaving the rest of the surface vulnerable. A complete application restores performance across every shingle or panel. How's It Done? We'll start with a thorough inspection to confirm that your roof is a good candidate. If things are too far gone, it's probably best just to get a new roof put on: a sealing treatment would just waste your money. Next, the surfaces are cleaned so the material can bond properly. The treatment is then sprayed or rolled on in even layers so it will penetrate or adhere. After the sealant has had time to cure, your roof will look refreshed to the eye and you'll quickly notice measurable improvements in both water shedding and thermal performance. Reapplication every few years can extend those gains further and help your roof last as long, or sometimes even longer, than its warrantied lifespan. Schedule a free inspection at Revive My Roof in Jacksonville today to evaluate your roof's condition. We also serve clients in Orlando and Tampa and in Detroit, MI, Dallas, TX, Nashville, TN, and Richmond, VA.