Maintenance key to roof health
Maintenance is key if you want your roof to last its expected lifespan.
It will also prevent the need for extensive repairs, water leaks and early roof replacement, says Roofing Association of New Zealand (RANZ) chief executive Graham Moor.
‘‘Maintenance-free is a fallacy – if anyone says that a [roofing] product is maintenance-free I’d be looking at them sideways,’’ he says.
Yet homeowners often neglect their roofing. ‘‘Like spouting, roofing is often forgotten about when it comes to maintenance, it’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’.’’
Regular maintenance is relatively easy, he says. Pay attention to areas not washed by natural rain washing.
‘‘Certain salts and the like can build up under the soffit, or where overhanging soffit goes down over another roof.’’
If those areas aren’t cleaned regularly, it is likely to manifest itself into ‘‘white rust’’.
To avoid that, hose unwashed areas down regularly, preferably with a good nylon brush and some detergent or cleaning agent.
The roof itself should be washed frequently, too. Moss and lichen can cause serious problems if not attended to, damaging the coating of the roofing profile.
As with any task at height, extreme care is required. ‘‘Do not get up on a roof unless you are confident working at heights, and if you do get up there, use some sort of safety control, like edge protection or scaffold.’’
While on the roof, look for any loose tiles or roofing iron, corroded or rusted roofing material, loose fastenings or fixings, protruding nails, and any flashings that don’t appear to be sitting properly.
These factors can all contribute to leaks, says Graham.
‘‘Often you don’t know a roof is leaking until you get a mark on the ceiling inside and by then it can become a big problem.’’
In the 30-plus years Graham has worked in the industry he’s been called out to many a leaky roof.
‘‘The worst was one where the roof had corroded to the extent you could actually see into the ceiling space, the holes had become that bad, and that doesn’t happen overnight!
‘‘Leaks are an avoidable problem with regular inspections, and they can be simple fixes that will extend the life of your roof.’’
However, homeowners will sometimes find their roof will leak near the end of its life.
‘‘There’s a fine line between maintenance and replacement – we tend to wait until the roof leaks and then we replace it, whereas it’s smarter to replace it before it leaks.’’
Some roofing can benefit from being recoated to extend its life, says Graham, and a number of companies can restore the aesthetic performance of a roof.
‘‘If your roof is only 10 to 15 years old, it might just need a repaint or recoat, but if you have a 30 to 40-year-old roof, get some good advice and weigh up the options.’’
There are numerous roofing products to choose from, and often it will depend on location, wind zones, and personal preference.
Concrete tiles, for example, can be better suited for waterfront locations in sea-spray zones because they are more resilient and won’t corrode.
Steel products come in the form of longrun or tile, then there’s asphaltic and shingle roofing as well.
Longrun steel has the dominant market share in New Zealand, and is available in myriad profiles, from corrugated through to the wider tray panels.
When investing in a new roof, check the warranties.
Remember, most suppliers require the product to be maintained regularly in order for warranties to be valid.