All homes need maintenance of some kind to keep their value throughout the years. If you don’t maintain your property you will find that when you want to sell it, the price you had hoped for may not be there. Meanwhile, your home is going to pieces around your ears and a big storm could well bring it crashing down.
The roof is one of the most important parts of the home, but unfortunately it is also one of the most neglected, mainly because getting up on it is beyond many people. They either don’t have the agility any more, or they don’t have the time, or the right equipment. This need not be a problem; there are many professionals out there who can do the job.
The cost of having your roof inspected for damage is much smaller than the cost of replacing the ceilings or the frame that has rotted due to leaks that were not found in time. It is also cheaper than having to replace a roof that suddenly blew off in a storm because the screws holding it on were rusted and no one knew.
Maintenance for Colorbond roofing is not difficult. You simply have to keep sticks and debris such as leaf litter off it and check the screws to make sure they are not rusted. If there is a build up of mould or moss on it, this should be cleaned off after wetting, with a soft bristle brush such as a household broom – not a straw broom, though.
Shady parts of the roof may have moss or algae growing on it and this can eventually cause it to rust as the moisture will be retained in that spot. This too, can simply be brushed off after wetting it. Never use bleach to clean this material; plain water is fine.
When walking on the roof, care should be taken to only wear soft-soled shoes and to only tread on the high parts such as the top of the corrugations. The valleys are not as strong and may become dented if you walk on them. This will also hold moisture and it can compromise the surface causing it to crack and allow rust to start forming.
When inspecting a Colorbond roof, always check out the cause of any stains that appear on the surface. These may be caused by sticks resting on the roof, but they may also herald spots of rust that can easily be dealt with at this early stage.
If you have had solar panels installed on your roof, it is important to ensure that the panel framework is high enough to allow water and debris to be washed out rather than accumulating underneath. If screws have to be replaced, always use the next size up to ensure a tight fit.