Does that not sound like a lot? It was! Not only were our washes full to the brim with fast moving water, but several roads were washed away, snarling traffic for hours.
Don't get me wrong, we welcome rain as it is a fairly rare occurrence but there is no reason for Mother Nature to dump so much in so short a time. I'm sure those of you living in sub-Arctic temperatures or buried under massive amounts of snow can relate.
The good news about all this rain was that most of the homes we care for were fine. We only had three homes with water intrusion but even three is too many.
Two of those homes had water intrusion due to roof leaks which is so frustrating because roof leaks are preventable.
I talk about this nearly every year but roof inspections are key to preventing premature roof damage and to help extend a roof's serviceable life.
In fact, the National Roofing Contractors Association states: "...once a roof is installed, nothing is more critical to its long-term performance than establishing a program of regular inspections and proper maintenance"
Your roof is an expensive part of your home. Replacing one entirely can range from $5000 to $20,000 or more depending on the size of your home and the roofing materials used.
Now you may be thinking -- "it hardly ever rains here and I have a tile roof -- why should I worry about this?" But here is why you should:
--Tile roofs are nearly indestructible but they still get damaged from wind, heat and debris
--Excess debris in tile overlaps can trap water causing it to break down materials and create a leak -- make sure to have debris removed
--Sealants can break down in the sun or simply from age -- have your vents, skylights, flashing, plumbing and heating vents all checked and resealed
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This is an actual photo of the bees we found under the roof in the home of our client. |
--Unscreened vents and chimneys allow rodent intrusion -- make sure to cover up!
--Check for other pest access points -- a few years ago, we found a huge beehive in the walls of a client home -- the bees gained access through the roof and eaves
--Check for cracked tiles and replace them as needed regularly
--Check for tile slippage -- in some areas tiles cannot be nailed sufficiently and may slip
If you have a flat roof, the need for preventative maintenance is even more pronounced. Flat roofs allow water to puddle and debris just lies there -- combined, they rot and can eat away at your roofing materials.
Drain vents are especially important for flat roofs -- make sure they are open and flowing freely. Of all the roof types, flat roofs are the most prone to damage and leakage.
Composition roofs should also have regular inspections as they are prone to most of the same issues as tile roofs with the added fun of split shingles due to the harshness of the sun's UV rays.
If you have yearly roof inspections, you can as much as double the lifespan of your roof and given the cost of replacement, the cost of an inspection and minor repairs is a simple and quick ROI.
More importantly, if you skip roof inspections and get a leak, particularly if you get a catastrophic leak, the cost to your home and its contents is impossibly high.
By the way, did you know Executive Errands® not only facilitates roof inspections, we also can remediate leaks including the eventual reconstruction? Many times we are able to provide a water specialist to dry out your property when other companies are overwhelmed with requests.
And I can never stress enough the importance of absentee home care -- when we had all that rain, we immediately checked on homes to be sure they did not have water intrusion or over-full pools.
In addition to the three with water intrusion, we had one client with a courtyard pond that flooded and a spa that was dangerously close to flooding -- we were able to get both pumped out during that rain storm and kept the water out of the home.
The client, who was not in town at the time, was very happy we did an emergency check and that we made sure her home was protected.
And while we're on the topic of rain related issues -- don't forget to change your windshield wipers every year (preferably before the rain appears). The rubber of windshield wipers degrades in the heat and rarely last more than a year.
We need rain in So Cal and we love seeing snow on the mountains surrounding our desert but we don't want you to get wet, so let us schedule your roof inspections every Fall and make sure your roof is as safe as possible.
Until next time, stay dry, enjoy the cooler winter temps and let us know how we can help make your living experience here more enjoyable!
For more information or to become a client, contact us or call 760.898.9604
