Once winter is in the past and summer is finally in your sights, the last thing on your mind is what kind of impact the changing of the seasons can have on your home’s roof. Winter is known to have the most significant impact on your roof, but the heat of the summer brings its very own set of threats that you need to worry about. Wind damage, summer storms, scorching heat, UV damage, and thermal shock can all result in significant damage to your roof. Keep reading to learn about some of the impacts that the summer heat can have on your roof.
UV Exposure
The ultraviolet rays from the sun can constantly beaming down your home’s roof, and unfortunately, this can result in the roof prematurely aging and decaying. What you may not realize is this can take place even on the cloudiest of days, but it is even more harmful on long, sunny days. Although this amount of energy is not able to be seen by the naked eye, it can cause wood to weaken, crack, and bleach, asphalt shingles to buckle and also split, and oils in your construction and roofing materials to dissipate.
Excessive Heat
When your roof does not have shade over it, the dark color of the material will absorb the heat, causing it to reach temperatures as high as 160 degrees Fahrenheit on a 90-degree day. High temperatures like this will speed up the chemical processes in the overall process, resulting in your construction and roofing materials breaking down quicker. Adequate attic ventilation can help prevent the buildup of heat from heating up the interior of your home and condensation issues.
Thermal Shock
Your home’s roof can reach incredibly high temperatures during the summer day, and then quickly cool off once the sun sets. This results in the materials expanding and contracting. As a result, the structural integrity of your roof weakens over time, which can be particularly problematic if you have a metal roof, as it can warp and form gaps.
Summer Storms
High winds and hail can cause some serious problems with the integrity of your roof, but if issues are dealt with during the springtime like checking with wet spots underneath the eaves, checking for any signs of damage to the roof structure inside the attic, looking for blockage in the gutters, and checking for damaged shingles, your roof should be ready to handle just about anything that summer has to throw at you—unless, of course, a tree or something falls on top of your roof!
Due to the fact that the majority of the damaged that occurs to your roof over the duration of the summer is cumulative, it can take some time for problems to appear. The UV radiation, heat, and thermal shock take time to appear, so your roof is not going to fail after an extended heat wave. Generally, roofs are pretty well maintained if they are less than 10 years old. If you learn the signs of roofing problems and take immediate action, you can save money in terms of maintenance expenses.
To alleviate some of the main issues associated with summer heat, you will want to ensure your attic is properly ventilated. This will ensure your roofs lasts longer, which means your investment is protected. Without adequate attic ventilation, it is imperative that issues are fixed quickly to avoid roof failure. Catching issues early on and performing quick repairs will always result in less money than a new roof, so make sure to have annual roof inspections performed by a professional.
If you do not currently have a roofing company that you are working with, feel free to give us a call at C and K Roofing.