Will your Vancouver Roof keep you dry during the next storm? Let us look closely towards Vancouver’s weather.
The City of Vancouver on their Weather page says that Vancouver is ranked as the 9th rainiest location along with other cities in Canada such as Port Alberni, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, etc.
I would say some people would probably have an umbrella as one of their essentials everywhere they go, but picture this: it is raining, you head out, and you realize as you open the umbrella that it actually has holes that water could get into. Naturally, you go back in and look for another one because you’ve got a spare.
As for your Vancouver roof, it works like an umbrella. It prevents you from getting wet or prevents rain from going into the house. However, for houses, you can’t really immediately change or replace it when you find out it has holes or leaks that water could get into, even if you have a spare. So what can we do to get it ready?
DIY Roofing Tips
It’s dangerous to walk around on your home’s roof. You just can’t just go ahead and act like the expert Vancouver roofers. There are limits to what we can do, however, it doesn’t mean that there’s nothing that we can do to prepare for the rainy season and help with the roof maintenance.
Attic Inspection of your Vancouver Roof
When you were a kid, the only time you probably visited your attic was when you were playing hide and seek. You would take a flashlight or anything that would give you sight and find the perfect spot.
Now that you’re all grown up, checking for any signs of damage, water, molds, or mildew with your flashlight is your new reason to come up there. It’s actually the simplest tip that you can first start with. This is one the most easy DIY Roofing Tips.
Trim Branches for better Roof maintenance
In 2021 on Statistics Canada, the percentage of trees on properties is 76%. Based on this data, a quarter of properties in Canada have trees. We could imagine overhanging branches that would occasionally fall everywhere.
The point of this is to avoid the rain to cause more fallen branches that could damage the roofs or clog up the gutters. This would also prevent shingles from going missing or molds from forming with Vancouver’s weather being the 9th rainiest location.
Check and Clean the Gutters and Downspouts
Aside from trimming the branches, what goes with it is cleaning the gutters. We have previously mentioned that overhanging branches could clog them up, but actually checking them for other objects and cleaning them would ensure undisrupted flow of water going down the spout; avoiding water from staying in the gutter potentially causing problems on the shingle, torch on, or any other material.
Additionally, checking for any clogs in the downspout is also a must. Gutters could appear clean and you’d find out that it’s your downspout isn’t and is clogged. Indicators of a clogged downspout include water overflowing near the downspout, gutters spilling over completely, a lack of water flow from the downspout, leaks in the downspout, and the downspout splitting or pulling apart. These are the important tips you need to keep in mind if you decide to clean the gutters and downspouts.
Do inspection For Any Sign of Leaks
In the game of hide and seek, if you would be the one to seek for your playmate, you would be going around the house to find him/her. In this game of getting ready, you would now be looking for any signs of leaks on your walls or ceilings such as water stains, musty smells or moldy odors, and bulging sections.
Moving onto the roofs’ exterior, what you would look for is any sign of shingles wearing and/or tearing: missing pieces, cracks, and curling edges. Since we are not Vancouver roofers, we may not be able to fix this one right up, but at least we will be able to call them for some repair before the rainy season. For torch on, look for water stains, mold or black marks along the rafters and roof sheathing.
Get a Closer Look on the Roof Maintenance
Check on the accessories’ sealant and condition. It may look normal from a distance, but taking a closer look into it will ensure that there are no damages around the accessories.
Even when there is no leak on the membrane, water could get into the accessories if the sealant and condition is not in a good state anymore. Better to check and have it fixed right away before the rainy weather in Vancouver changes.
Final Takeaways: A Strong Vancouver Roof
Vancouver’s wettest months are November and December according to the City of Vancouver.
These 5 DIY Roofing Tips may not fix or repair your roofs but it will give you a step ahead of what’s coming: rain. Take the initiative and call up some Vancouver roofers to fix your problems before the wettest months. Your Vancouver roof should be strong enough to save you and your family from the weather.