Maintaining A Cedar Shake Roofing

By Cara Torres


A cedar shake roofing often comes with a unique and a definitely striking appearance that cannot be matched by other materials. These are friendly to the environment, renewable, versatile and can easily improve the look of any home. These may seem beautiful, but homeowners should be wary that it would also need several maintenance to keep its look.

Every roof tile will start to expand or contract as the weather and temperature begin to change. This is definitely normal for all situations, but it will always have an effect such as cracking. If these cracks are left ignored and untreated, it can be a potential and serious problem that may lead to expensive repairs. Hence, it is vital to have regular maintenance.

You should check for damages constantly. A thorough inspection once every six months may be done to make things easier. Upon evaluation, the cracks and rusts or loosened flashing in some areas between your chimneys or joints would be properly checked.

Check for growth of various organisms such as mosses, lichens and molds. It is essential that you must not allow these organisms to form since it may trap moisture in various parts of the panels of a cedar roof. The excessive moisture might damage it further and could even lead to leak formation inside your homes. The gutters should also be cleaned properly to prevent blockage that allows the formation of many fungi and molds.

To add and improve its beauty and appearance, you could invest in some power washing that will include the use of different chemical cleaning materials, preservatives and pigmented finishes. This has been made available in some markets around the world. It could also be oil or water based.

If you have multiple level of such where it could split and form multiple peaks, there would be a valley where everything will meet. These are often covered with metal and may be treated with paint. You must inspect these parts for rust formation. It can only eat the metal parts and cause the formation of holes. Remove it with a wire brush and treat it again with paint.

Weathering and discoloration further adds to the beauty of the roof. You can invest on any pigmented finish that can withstand different elements to preserve its color for many years. Choose a finish that is also resistant to fire and some extreme weather conditions. You must check the requirements as well since it can erode the shakes and may harm the surrounding surfaces.

Make sure that you install a proper attic insulation and ventilation. This is one of the important factors that could extend its duration. By using the inappropriate ventilation, moisture and heat could accumulate easily in some parts of the attic and might lead to rotting and worse would be deteriorating insulation. A properly insulated attic will let you maximize its efficiency.

A cedar shake roofing might only last for ten years if inappropriate maintenance is done. However, if minor repairs are always done, it can surely stay for long. Checking it always after the rain pours is indeed a great practice. Microorganisms might spread easily so inspect it always.




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1 commentaire:

  1. One of the best roofing materials to use is cedar shingles. These shingles have so many benefits that you can gain from them that it is a wonder that more people do not choose them for their homes.

    Iko shingles

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