Flat roofs are a popular roofing choice for homeowners looking to achieve a more modern appearance. However, if you’ve never had a flat roof before, you might not know how to properly care for it. While you might think your treatment of the roof is similar to pitched roofs, there are specific steps you should take during your flat roof maintenance to keep it in its best condition. 

At Lifetime Roofing, our team understands how important frequent roof maintenance can be for ensuring your property looks its best and is safe from damage. But what kind of maintenance should you perform on your flat roof to ensure it is ready to stand up to anything it may experience? If you are interested in learning more about flat roof maintenance you can perform to keep your home safe from damage, keep reading to see what our team recommends. 

1. Perform Routine Roof Inspections

One of the first steps in flat roof maintenance is performing routine roof inspections. These inspections should be performed at least once a year, although inspecting it between seasons can protect you from larger-scale damage across the surface. However, it is important to avoid walking on your roof when performing these inspections. Stepping on your roof without proper training may result in unexpected and costly damage and should be left to the professionals. 

2. Clear Large Debris 

While performing flat roof maintenance, it is important that you remove any large debris from your roof. These roofs may collect a variety of debris, including fallen leaves and branches, airborne garbage, and other materials. When left on your roof, these materials may damage your roofing materials prematurely. If this occurs, you may have to schedule repairs, which can be costly and unexpected, especially if your roof is new. 

3. Address Leaks as Soon as Possible

If you notice a leak while performing flat roof maintenance, you might not think that the problem is significant enough to warrant scheduling repairs. While this might seem like the kind of problem you can put off, leaks can very quickly go from a minor problem to significant harm to your roof’s structure. As soon as you notice a leak forming on your roof, it is essential that you reach out to a team of professionals to schedule repairs. 

4. Trim Trees and Other Foliage

Not all of the maintenance you perform to keep your roof safe will occur on the roof. If you want to keep your roof safe throughout the year, it is essential that you trim any trees and other foliage surrounding your home. Allowing trees and shrubs to overgrow increases your risk of broken branches and loose leaves ending up on your roof. If you want to keep your roof safe from this unnecessary damage, make sure to inspect your trees at least once a year and trim as necessary. 

5. Double-Check Your Roof before Storms

Even if you’ve performed flat roof maintenance recently, it is important to double-check your roof ahead of a storm. The last thing you want to discover in the middle of a heavy rain or snowstorm is a newly developed leak. By inspecting your roof ahead of a storm, you can cover any potential leaks and protect yourself from water damage occurring while the storm is raging on outside. To protect your roof in the middle of a storm, it is best to throw a tarp over the affected area and then reach out to a professional as soon as possible for repairs. 

6. Contact a Professional for Repairs

While you might want to perform repairs on your own while performing flat roof maintenance, it is always in your best interest to work with a team of professionals for repairs. A team of roofing professionals has the tools, materials, and experience necessary to perform a variety of repairs. With this experience, you can trust that, when working with a professional, you can trust that they’ll repair your roof quickly and help you avoid recurring damage to your roof. 

Flat Roof Maintenance in North Salt Lake City

When you are ready to schedule flat roof maintenance, it is essential that you work with a reliable roofing company. If you’re looking for a reliable roofing team in the North Salt Lake City area, turn to our team at Lifetime Roofing. For years, we’ve provided a variety of roofing services, including flat roof maintenance, making us the best choice to protect your home.

Whether you’re trying to schedule maintenance, repair leaks, or replace older roofing materials with something new, our team provides a variety of services to meet every homeowner’s needs. If you would like to schedule flat roof maintenance or if you have any questions about the other services we provide to homeowners across the Wasatch Front, don’t hesitate to contact us today. 

More homeowners than ever are trying to achieve the most energy-efficient home possible. From installing solar panels to investing in better insulation, there are many things you can do to achieve a greener home. But one thing you might not think about is how your roof color impacts your energy efficiency. 

At Lifetime Roofing, we understand that homeowners looking for a new roof are likely looking for the most energy-efficient option on the market. But how much of a difference can your roof color make in your home’s energy efficiency? If you want to learn more about whether your roof color is helping you achieve your most energy-efficient home, keep reading. 

Does Your Roof Color Impact Your Home’s Energy Efficiency?

So, does your roof color have an impact on your home’s energy efficiency? The truth is that your roof color can have a significant effect on your home’s energy efficiency. White roofing materials are found to be the most energy-efficient, as they do the best job of reflecting sunlight away from your home. 

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, white roofing material can reflect 60% to 90% of the sunlight that hits your home. When this light is reflected away from your home, you can trust that heat doesn’t seep into the attic and upper levels of your home. However, white isn’t the only energy-efficient roof color. Other energy-efficient roof colors include tan and beige. 

Does Roofing Material Impact Your Home’s Energy Efficiency? 

While your roof color does play a role in your home’s energy efficiency, it isn’t the only thing that impacts your efficiency. The material used to build your roof may also play a role in how energy-efficient your home may be. The most popular, energy-efficient roofing materials include: 

• Metal Roofs: Metal roofs are known for having a high reflectivity rating. These roofs are known for their ability to naturally dissipate heat, with the U.S. Department of Energy finding that homes with metal roofs may experience a 25% reduction in their energy bills during the warmest months of the year. 
• Cedar Shakes: While cedar shakes aren’t as popular as they once were, they are an energy-efficient roofing material. This material acts as a natural insulation, keeping the heat out during the warmer months while maintaining a comfortable temperature during the winter months.
• Asphalt: Asphalt shingles are the most popular roofing material in the U.S. and are known for being durable, affordable, and energy efficient. High-quality shingles, especially those that are darker-colored, can help you cut back on your energy bills. 

Which Roof Color is Best for Your Home

If you’re preparing to replace older materials, you might wonder whether your roof color is best for your home or if a new color may be a better choice for your home. While the energy efficiency of your roof color might be something you consider during this process, you should also consider how this color impacts your curb appeal. 

Will lighter-colored white or tan roofs complement your home’s siding? Will this new roof color stick out in an unbecoming way? If you are concerned about the curb appeal of your home and a lighter roof color clashes with the rest of your home, you might want to consider a darker color, even if it isn’t the most energy-efficient option on the market. 

Should You Replace a Less Energy-Efficient Roof? 

As you learn more about how your roof color impacts the energy efficiency of your home, you may find yourself considering replacing a less energy-efficient roof with something a little newer. While this might sound like a good idea, it is important that you take a moment to consider whether this is the right investment in your home. 

On average, replacing the roof on a 1,000-square-foot home will cost about $7,000. This can be an incredibly costly investment to make if your roof isn’t in need of immediate replacement. So, while you may want to invest in a more energy-efficient option, this might not be the right place to put your money if you have a newer, well-functioning roof. 

Instead, you might want to consider investing that money in other energy-efficient home upgrades, like improved siding, upgraded insulation, or newer HVAC systems, while you wait for your next roof replacement. By investing in other energy-efficient options before you replace a newer roof, you can ensure you have the most energy-efficient home after the replacement occurs.  

Finding the Perfect Roof Color with Lifetime Roofing 

When it comes time to install a new roof, it is essential that you work with a reliable roofing company like our team at Lifetime Roofing. By working with us, you can trust that we will help you find the perfect roof color for your home, ensuring your house looks its best while maintaining great energy efficiency.

From asphalt shingles to modern metal roofs, our team provides a variety of roofing products to guarantee every homeowner has the perfect roof for their home. If you would like to schedule an appointment to install a new roof on your home or if you have any questions about choosing your roof color, don’t hesitate to contact us today. 

While you may enjoy rainy or snowy days, you may feel frustrated when this weather damages your roof. Whether it’s heavy rain, strong winds, hail, or snow, your roof needs to be adequately prepared to withstand the elements. But what steps do you need to take to ensure you don’t deal with storm damage to your roof? 

At Lifetime Roofing, we understand how detrimental storm damage can be to your home, making it essential to know how to avoid it before the storm comes to town. However, you might not know where to begin to protect your roof and property from this damage. If a large storm is rolling into town and you want to avoid unnecessary storm damage, keep reading to see what our team recommends doing to keep yourself safe. 

1. Trim Overhanging Branches

Overhanging trees and branches pose a significant risk to your roof’s fragile materials, especially during storms. To avoid storm damage, it is best to regularly trim trees and bushes surrounding your property to prevent them from falling onto your roof. You should also remove any dead or diseased trees that may fall over during extreme weather. If a storm is coming to town, it may also be a good time to rake your yard and throw out old, loose organic debris to prevent it from ending up on your roof due to strong winds. 

2. Secure Loose Items

While you may enjoy spending time relaxing on outdoor chairs and recliners or having a meal at an outdoor table, this furniture can be detrimental to your roof during storms. Before a storm rolls into town, make sure to secure any loose furniture, potted plants, and outdoor decorations that may become airborne. In some cases, it may be in your best interest to move outdoor furniture into a shed or your garage to avoid storm damage as a result of it hitting your roof. Not only will this protect your roof, but it will also save you the heartache of dealing with potentially broken windows. 

3. Check Gutters and Downspouts

During the fall months, your gutters and downspouts may become clogged with loose leaves, twigs, and other debris. While this might not initially be cause for concern, it can lead to clogs in your gutters, which are detrimental during heavy rainfall. Make sure to check your gutters and downspouts twice a year to ensure they aren’t clogged, as clogged gutters may guide rainwater toward your roof. This water may get beneath roof tiles, which can lead to mold and mildew growth on the roof and inside your home. As this grows, this minor storm damage may even lead to significant health problems.

4.  Reinforce Roofing Materials

If you’ve had to replace a roof before because of storm damage, it might be in your best interest to invest in high-quality, weather-resistant roofing materials. You may even want to speak to a roofing professional about investing in a metal roof instead, which is designed to withstand far more wear and tear. Metal roofs are strong enough to stand up to wind, heavy rainfall, snow, and hail, making them the perfect solution if you are tired of the constant repairs associated with more fragile roofing materials. 

5. Have an Emergency Preparedness Plan

No matter how much you try to prevent storm damage, some damage may be unavoidable. To protect yourself in the event that you aren’t able to completely prevent damage, try to have an emergency preparedness plan. Purchase tarps and buckets to put over and under any holes that may emerge on your roof. Additionally, make sure to have the contact information for reliable roofers in your area if you need professional repairs. The sooner you reach out to them after the storm damage occurs, the less likely you are to deal with rising repair costs.  

6. Schedule Roof Maintenance

If you want to avoid storm damage, one of the easiest ways to do this is by investing in regular roof maintenance. This maintenance should be scheduled at least twice a year. During this maintenance, your roofing professional can check for signs of damage that you might otherwise miss. If they find any signs of damage, they can repair it before it causes significant damage to your home or your roof structure. 

Address Storm Damage with Lifetime Roofing

If you are dealing with storm damage to your roof, working with a reliable roofing company is a great way to quickly remedy the situation. If you are looking for a reliable roofing company in the Northern Utah area, turn to our team at Lifetime Roofing. With almost two decades of experience installing, maintaining, and repairing roofs across the Wasatch Front, we are confident that we can help you restore your roof in no time at all. If you would like to speak to a member of our team about our roof repair services or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us today.