Your roof is an under-appreciated part of your home.  Why – because you never see it up close.  Tell me the last time you grabbed a ladder and crawled up on your roof to take a look.  The answer is either seldom, or never.  Your roof’s job is to keep your home dry, and until there’s a leak somewhere, we just don’t think our roofs.  I want to spend a few minutes to give your roof some props, and then suggest some ways to check on your roof to make sure that it’s doing its job.

Your roof is exposed to the coldest days in winter, and the warmest days in summer.  It puts up with both cold and heat, and has to perform (keep your home dry) regardless of the outside temperature.  That’s big job, and harsh weather can take its toll on a roof.  To check your roof’s performance, let me recommend a simple activity that may alert you to bigger issues.  If you have an attic access (a small door in the ceiling that opens to the attic), take a few minutes to poke your head into the attic.  The air in your attic should somewhat stuffy, but it should not smell musty.  A musty smell could indicate water penetration.  You don’t want water in your attic.  Water in your attic leads to mold, and that’s a big problem you want to avoid.

When in the attic, take a strong flashlight and look at the underside of your roof by examining the attic ceiling.  What you are checking for are any water streaks, or indications  of water penetration.  Water penetration is to be avoided at all costs, and it you are confronted with a musty smell, and water streaks on your attic ceiling, it may be time to call in a roofer just to make sure that there aren’t any active leaks.  You can’t be sure from this simple examination, but better safe than sorry.

Another thing – make sure your gutters are clean.  Gutters are on your house to move the water running down the roof, to a downspout, and then to splash-blocks that move the water away from your house foundation.  If gutters or downspouts are clogged, water from your roof can’t drain properly, and that water will take the path of least-resistance.  It will pour over the gutters, landing at the base of your house foundation.  Most wet basement issues come from improper drainage.  It’s a simple fix, but you need to be aware of it.

Take care of your roof.  It’s trying it’s best to take care of you.

David Lupberger draws on more than two decades of experience in the residential remodeling field to work with remodelers in developing proven business systems. Come check out his websites for the TurnKey Program and the Remodeling Coach.