Now that the dog days of summer are approaching their conclusion, it’s a good time to go down the list of what your roof has been going through. It might be time to schedule an autumn inspection if the heat and sun have taken their toll.
Iconic Roofing & Exteriors can handle any kind of roof repairs you may require. We’re based in New Castle and cover the greater Wilmington and Philadelphia metro areas.
The fact is that, though ice jams and extreme winds are more dramatic, the lazy days of summer also pose threats to your roof.
Baby, It’s Hot Outside
Let’s start with the obvious; summer means heat. And when temperatures get into the 90s, the surface temp of your roof is more like 150, especially if it’s constructed of dark shingles that absorb heat. And just like leaving a casserole in the oven too long, lots of heat over a long period of time can bake a roof to a crisp, causing materials to fail and disintegrate. This is just part of the natural aging process of roofs and why asphalt roofs have a typical lifespan of fewer than 30 years.
It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity
We’re not known for our dry heat here in Delaware Valley. And high humidity can create condensation in and around a roof that can start eating away at things under the surface, especially beneath roofing shingles. If pathways are found through the vapor barrier — and water is pretty ingenious at doing so — then moisture can accumulate even when rainwater is making it through the roof. And where there is an accumulation of moisture there can be mold and mildew, which are issues in and of themselves.
It’s a Wild Ride
Another part of extremely hot sunny days — unless there is a severe heatwave underway — is that thermal shock is a given. The temperature fluctuates relatively quickly between really hot and not so hot when the sun sets. This can cause a host of materials that your roof is made of contracting and expanding repeatedly. (Heck, thermal shock keeps engineers and designers of lots of things up at night.). Shingles, wood, and other elements get a little bigger and then a little smaller, over and over. Again, this is part of the normal wear and tear of a roof’s lifecycle and maybe this past summer was the proverbial tipping point.
The Sunlight Keeps Bearing Down
Unlike your skin, which you can slather in suntan lotion to cut down on the amount of damaging ultraviolet light that gets through to the surface, your roof has to take on the UV radiation without any protection (other than the original chemical components of the shingles). But those wear down, which is why shingles don’t last forever. Eventually, they buckle and crack and start getting blown off the roof when the wind picks up. This is also why portions of a roof that take far more sunshine on a daily basis will need to be replaced sooner than shaded areas.
Time For an Inspection?
The only way to get a real idea of how your roof weathered the summer is for a professional roofer to take a look. Having Iconic Roofing & Exteriors make a house call will also include inspecting other roofing elements, like ensuring there’s proper ventilation in your attic, that gutters are securely fastened and not clogged, and that your flashing is secure. This will ensure that your entire roof is ready for the dirty winter weather that’s on its way.
Give us a call — especially if your roof is more than ten years old — to book us for this bit of autumnal buttoning up.
