It is not a secret that your roof is the most important part of your house. It provides insulation, temperature regulation, and protection from the elements. But, it is questionable whether enough attention is paid to your roof. Most people take their roof for granted.
A roof can influence the environment. If your roof is not well designed, you are going to use excessive energy. This is going to mean that you are going to be putting a strain on the environment.
It is important to make sure that you follow eco-friendly roofing tips to minimize these problems.
Roofing Ideas to Save the Environment
It is very important to take good care of your roof There are two reasons as to why.
- They threaten the energy efficiency of the house. This means that you will use more energy that pollutes the environment and raises CO2 levels.
- You may need to replace the roof more quickly. This uses a lot of scare resources and hurts the environment when they need to be extracted.
The following tips will help you keep the environment safe.
Using Eco-friendly Roofing Materials
A lot of roofing materials that are being used are great for the environment. Others are not so great. The biggest take-away is the benefit of using a white roof that reflects most of the sunlight. This reduces unnecessary cooling costs in the summer.
After Each Season Perform an Inspection of the Roof
With the passing of every season, it brings new challenges that threaten the integrity of your roof. Some of them can be very severe. They can even cause serious damage. Even if the weather is not especially harsh, you should check the shingles of the roof. Then, you will see what kind of wear and tear they have sustained. The UV rays of the sun can cause damage too, especially during the hot and humid months.
The sun creates chaos on the weatherproofing chemicals in the roof. This in turn can cause them to dry out. Moreover, the roof tiles expand in the heat and contract when it gets colder at night. This expanding and contraction causes the tiles to get loose over time.
During the colder months the roof gets attacked by snow and hail. When the ice and snow melts, it can cause leaks in the roof. This action will damage anything attached to the roof, like the flashing or the gutters.
Keep the Area around the Roof Clear
Things like trees with overhanging branches are some of the biggest hazards to a roof. Therefore, you should minimize the chance of them causing any damage to your roof the best you can. Any overhanging tree limbs should be removed. Hence they don’t fall on the roof in the event of severe weather.
This applies to the tree branches that brush or scrape against the roof. The repetition could wear down the shingles and even scrape them off. Instead of removing the entire tree, you can just get rid of any part of it that would possibly cause any damage.
The Gutters should be Cleaned Regularly
Cleaning gutters is absolutely necessary even though you tend to ignore it. When the gutters are properly cleaned to prevent leaves and debris from building up, it ensures that they keep working properly. A clogged gutter can overflow during the rain, thus rendering its function of directing water away from the roof and foundation of the house utterly useless.
During the winter months, water that got collected in the gutters can freeze and weigh down the gutters. This can eventually cause them to get ripped from the roof. That could cause damage to the roof and the roof would need to be repaired. Therefore, it is necessary to roll up these sleeves and clean the gutters once per season. Or just call a roofing specialist to do it for you.
Treat Your Roof for Moss, Lichen, and Algae
The sun can damage your roof. That is true. But without it, moss, lichen, and algae can grow freely. This can result in serious damage to your roof, as well as give it an unsightly, unappealing appearance.
If you have experienced a lot of rain and humidity and very little sunshine, or if there is a part of your roof that is continuously in the shade, then your roof should be inspected regularly. If necessary, it should be treated and cleaned by a professional. That professional will apply treatments containing zinc and copper that can prevent the growth of these plants.
Use These Tips to Keep Your Roof Healthy
You can ensure that your roof has a long life ahead of it by utilizing these tips. Not only will these points enhance the longevity of the roof, but they will also save money in the long run. That is because they lower the likelihood of your roof receiving any significant damage.
Any serious damage incurred by the roof could be expensive to repair. It could even lead to a complete roof replacement. So, treat your roof with care and it will return the favor to you.
Your Roof is an Important Structure in the fight against climate change. You will be surprised to know how much energy your home loses through your roof. You need to make sure that it is well maintained to conserve energy and also to save the environment.
