Roof Maintenance, Home Renovation When You Retire

Whether you’re retired or not the roof is literally the most important thing to maintain in our home. Or, at least in my opinion it is! Without a stable roof and enormous amount of damage can be done from top to bottom in a home. There are many alternatives too if 30 year shingles (and the maintenance) aren’t getting old. Steel has become really popular around here and, honestly, once our own shingles need replacement I think that’s the way we’re go too!

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)

Whether it is our grandparents, parents, or ourselves, if we are fortunate enough to reach our golden years, we may need some home renovation ideas when we retire. The second law of thermodynamics, Entropy, states that over time things fall apart if we don’t maintain them. Let’s take a look at some maintenance or renovation ideas of two important parts of our humble abode. 

First on the to-do list is the roof.

Safety First

Take your time and remember to have the patience to repair the roof. A leaking roof has plenty of negatives about it, so take it one step at a time. You don’t want to go crashing down while inspecting your roof, and falling through while it is raining or covered in snow and ice is not the ideal way to spot a leak. Attempting to temporarily repair a leak can be very dangerous. If you want to do it well, there is no quick solution. When in doubt and you don’t feel like it’s safe, leave it to the professionals. Christian Brothers Roofing is a licensed roofing company and can help with a whole manner of roof renovations. But if you are looking to do it yourself, as long as the roof isn’t caving in, it can wait another day. Take your time, be patient, and wait carefully for nature to give you the green light on a clear day.

Be prepared

Apart from a stable ladder to get onto the roof, remember that being on the roof can put your body in an uncomfortable or unsafe position. It is safer to wear rubber-soled shoes to avoid slipping. You would also want to look at investing in a sturdy harness and a safety line to clip on to remain safe. Perhaps working with a buddy is also not a bad idea. 

Man-made rain

Use a garden hose and spray the roof to find possible leaks. Start spraying in different places to find leaks that may not be found if you aren’t getting into those tight corners. If it is winter, please wait, because it is not safe to put extra water on the roof when it will just freeze.

Clean out the gutters 

One of the most common areas and causes of roof leaks is cracked or clogged up gutters and drains. Dry leaves and debris may cause water to accumulate in the gutters when it rains. 

Ventilation check 

Dry rot is not related to any type of water damage, but lack of ventilation. If roof repairs have problems in the middle of the roof, the plywood may deteriorate. The roof will sag, causing the tiles to become brittle, crack, and then leak water. Prevention of dry rot includes installing ridge vents, which only work if soffit vents are present. Holes should be drilled in the soffit vents to allow cool air to enter the bottom and warm air to exit the top. 

Avoid ice reforming

In winter, there is no problem with ice under roof membranes, shingles, and gutters. When exterior ice melts and the water reaches the wall line of the heated house, it collects again and starts to drip inside. Proper ventilation, rain and ice guards and the installation of drip edges will help prevent this problem. 

Fix Roof Boots 

Waterproof panels, roofs, ice buffers, and skylights are obvious locations for potential leaks. One thing that people often lose is rubber boots. This is where the roof fence is raised, where the roof boots are. If they dry out, they will crack and cause a major leak. Buy new roof boots at your local hardware store because this an easy replacement job. You may need to remove some shingles, spread tar better underneath, and put it back in place. 

Check roof material

Shingles are sometimes defective and will start to break after nailing. Using incorrect nails and improper installation of shingles can also cause leaks. The nail may be too low and start to push up. Before you go up on the roof, be sure to check the merchandise.

Check the valleys

The valley is where two roofs intersect or meet. It is also called the ridge, and it is also the place where two roofs meet at the top. Valleys are very common leakage locations because water from the entire roof will flow there and begin to sway back and forth. Ideal conditions to creep into those tiny cracks. 

Eliminate Leaks 

It is important not to be discouraged when you cannot find a leak. This is a process of elimination. You’ve covered an area, installed the shingles in place, and sealed tightly, so at least one area has been removed from your to-do list. Now you can try other areas until you’ve covered all the possible spots.

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)