With summer just around the corner, it’s time to prepare your home’s roof for the summer season. Excessive heat and humidity can cause substantial damage to your roofing system. Cracks, blisters, bumps and discoloration are the most common signs of a heat-damaged roof.

No matter how tough a roof material is, proper maintenance is key to readying it up for the hotter months ahead. Here is a list of things you can do now to care for your roof this summer:

Inspect shingles

Inspect your roof’s shingles for signs of wear and tear. While finding the exact roof leak spot can be challenging, you can identify obvious roof damage with common sense and a naked eye.

Weak shingles lose the ability to withstand strong winds or rain and cause water leaks. When the small granule rocks begin to slowly come off the asphalt shingles and wash away in the gutter system, the shingles lose their ability to reflect damaging heat and UV rays. This will lead to curled, wavy, or cracked shingles in time.

Conduct an outdoor and indoor inspection of your roofing system. For outdoor inspection, check for curling, cracks, curling, missing or broken shingles. Meanwhile, brown or yellow stains or peeling paint on ceilings is a telling sign of a leaking roof.

Clean rain gutters

A rain gutter system helps redirect rainwater away from your home’s roof. Clogged or broken gutters will make it difficult for your roof to drain properly.

In winter, ice and snow can block your home’s rain gutter system. Your best bet is to inspect and clean the gutters as soon as the temperature begins to increase. Use a hose to get rid of any debris buildup from your home’s gutter system. At the same time, look for any seams that could be leaking. Apply a fresh coat of sealant to deteriorating seams. This will ensure that the gutter system can withstand severe summer storms.

Attic insulation

Make sure your attic has proper, up-to-date ventilation to let the hot air out. Stagnant air results in excessive moisture, which can be detrimental to your home roof’s rafters. One way of achieving proper roof ventilation is the installation of a ridge vent. A ridge vent will naturally allow hot air and moisture to escape the attic through the roof.

Cool roof

Replace your existing roof with a cool one. A cool roof is designed to absorb less heat, as compared to other roofing systems. A cool roof is made from reflective materials – paint, a sheet covering or shingles –   that repel the sun’s rays and maintain lower roof temperatures.

Dark roofs can hit 150°F or more in summer, while cool roofing systems stay around 50°F.

These simple steps can enable your roof to beat the scorching summer heat. If you think you can’t do all this on your own, call the Brooklyn-based roofing contractors at NY Roofing. With over 15 years of experience, NY Roofing provides tailor-made customized roofing solutions, including roof inspection, repair, replacement, siding renovation and gutter replacement services across New York. NY Roofing operates in Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Suffolk County and Staten Island. Contact them at (844)-545-7663 to schedule a free roof or gutter estimate.