SECRETS TO A LONG-LASTING METAL ROOF
Metal roofs are among the most common roofing system available today. They are also one of the most commonly coated roofs when it comes to silicone. With so many coated metal roofs in existence, it’s important that the owners of these roofs know how to maintain them. Proper, timely maintenance can drastically increase the lifespan and effectiveness of your metal roof coatings. Follow these tips and you can reasonably expect to get 20 years out of your metal roof coatings.
Perform Regular Roof Inspections
We have said this in so…many…blog…posts we’re starting to sound like a broken record. But do you know why we say it so often? Because it’s so important! Regular roof inspections, done correctly, have the potential to double the useful lifespan of your roof. Double! Inspecting your roof just twice a year results in amazing benefits to your roof system and your bottom line. What goes into a good inspection?
Having a Plan
Before you get up on your roof, you should have a plan of how you’re going to inspect it. Which areas do you need to focus on based on past results? What will be your traveling pattern across the roof for maximum efficiency? Will you take repair equipment with you or mark problems and return (shortly) to fix them? Developing this plan before getting on your roof increases the effectiveness of the inspection and saves you time.
Twice Per Year
We recommend an inspection before winter, in late fall, and after winter, in early spring. Winter poses the most significant threats to your roof, so you need to prepare for winter before it hits, and then recover from it afterwards.
Make Repairs Quickly
If you do identify issues on your roof during your inspection, repair them quickly! You don’t have to do it immediately, but you do need to do it soon. The longer you wait, the more the issue can grow, leading to more damage or more problems. Quickly fix problems, get them off your mind, and get your roof back in tip-top shape.
Making the Repairs
So you’ve inspected your metal roof coating, identified a few problem areas, and now you need to actually make the repairs. Easy. 95% of metal roof coating repairs can be fixed in this way:
- Clean the problem area with a wet rag, removing any dirt or debris.
- Dry the problem area with a dry rag.
- Apply silicone caulk to the problem area, completely sealing the leak.
- Smoothen caulk with your finger, a rag, putty knife, etc.
- Safely leave the roof.
That’s it! The process is extremely quick, simple, and easy. If you take the time to inspect the roof, take a few more minutes and actually repair it.
Conclusion
Maintaining metal roof coatings on your roof is not a difficult challenge, it just requires some intentionality and a bit of time. If you’re willing to commit to inspecting and repairing your roof twice per year, you can conservatively expect to increase it’s life by 150%, maybe even 200%. That’s a reward that is worth the effort.
