What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘heatwave?’ You probably think of worried tourists drinking chilled lemonade to beat the heat. You may even think about your furry friend with their tongue out, making a feeble attempt at carrying on with the day. But while you try to deal with the visible effects of heatwave, there is one part of your house that bears the brunt of the scorching sun. The roof is exposed to the sun, which weakens its structure and makes it susceptible to damage.
In this article, we’ll have a look at some of the most common reasons behind roof damage during the summer. To boost your roof’s longevity, you must pay attention to its regular maintenance.
How Does Heat Affect Your Roof
1. UV Rays
It is a well-established fact that the roof is directly exposed to the sun. This means that it will be constantly exposed to UV rays. Since the daytime is longer during summer, the rays end up drying out the oil in your roof materials because which the roof becomes bleached. If left untreated, the roof starts to crack.
2. Temperature
On hot summer days, the temperature on an unshaded roof may reach up to 160F, even when the air temperature is 90F. This high temperature acts as a catalyst for speeding up the negative effect of UV rays.
3. Thermal Shock
Your roof continuously goes through expansion and contraction. On a normal day, your roof expands under the weight of heat. By the evening, when the temperature cools off, the roof contracts again. This continuous expansion and contraction weaken the structure of the roof. If you have a metal roof, the problem may be more severe for you. Because of the heat, the shape of the metal roof will be warped out, leaving gaps between your roof’s metal elements and the rest of the structure. This can be quite dangerous if left treated for long.
It is safe to say that summer is not a good season for your roof. However, this doesn’t mean that your roof cannot withstand a single spell of summer. If your roofs are well-maintained, they will be able to stand the heat for a long period.
But, the key is to pay serious attention to the maintenance of your roof. While you can inspect your roof on your own, it is advisable that you get the professionals to do the work for you.
Summary
The heatwave is not only bad for people, but it is also equally dangerous for your roofing structure. The harmful UV rays end up causing a lot of damage to one of the important parts of your house. For your peace of mind and to ensure that you don’t have to deal with heavy financial expenses, it is better for you to regularly carry out your roof inspection to identify the areas that are weak or have some problems so that they can be fixed in a timely manner.
