Replacing your roof is expensive. Extend the life of your roofing with gutter care. The gutters and downspouts of your roof are the primary protection against water damage to your roof and your home. Allowing leaves and debris to accumulate in the gutters not only renders them less effective but can damage your gutters and ultimately your roofing.

Gutter maintenance can be a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it--really. Regular gutter maintenance is vital for keeping your gutters clean and working properly. Keep your house and roofing safe and dry through regular roofing and gutter care with these three easy steps.

Clean Out

Gutters need to be cleaned every year to remove leaves and other debris from the system. Use a sturdy ladder on steady footing to help you in your roofing and gutter care. Many ladders feature spans designed specifically to place you at the perfect distance from your gutters without resting or leaning against them, which could damage your gutters.

If you have gutter covers or screens and leaves have made their way underneath them, remove the covers before you begin to clean out your gutters to ensure that they're thoroughly clean. Carefully remove leaves, sticks and all other debris from your gutters and roof. This wet mulch may have already begun to decompose in your gutters. You can bag the debris as yard waste or trash or add it to your compost pile. Stubborn debris may require a tool, like a barbeque brush, to remove.

Rinse Out

Once the gutters are debris-free, use a garden hose to rinse them. This method is also useful in finding leaks or detecting clogged downspouts. A high pressure stream of water may be able to remove clogs, but it may also take shaking the downspout or even using a broomstick or dowel to remove it.

Once your gutters a fully clean, protect them with gutter screens. Screens keep debris from building up in gutters and drains, but leaves can still accumulate on top of the screens. Even with gutter screens, regular roofing and gutter care is still necessary. The leaves that accumulate on your roof can create weak spots and introduce rotting and leaking to your roof, both of which can require expensive repairs.

Check Out

Once your gutters are clean and protected, inspect downspouts, pipes, and gutters for rust, warping, damage and other problems. Check all connections along the pipes as well as the connections to the house to ensure that they are sturdy. Replace damaged connections or pipe sections to keep your gutters working optimally. You can patch holes in your gutters with roofing cement. A metal patch is necessary for larger holes, but these fixes can save you the expense of replacing an entire section of gutter--or your roof.

As part of your annual roofing and gutter check up, you should inspect the overall condition of the roof as well. You can do this by using a ladder to climb on the roof or using an attic ladder to get up close and personal from the inside of the roof.

Inspecting your roof from the inside out is probably a better alternative to keep you from falling through any extremely weak spots on your roof. Always exercise caution on roofs and in attics.

Look for discoloration, dampness, and other warning signs of water damage. If you do detect signs of water damage, immediately check the wood, insulation or other surrounding materials for signs of mold. Mold can be removed with chemicals, but extensive mold problems should always be handled by a professional to make sure that all the mold is contained.

Termites and other pests might also be a problem. Check for potential rodent and bird nests while you're inspecting your roof.

With these useful tips, you'll be able to extend the life of your roofing through gutter care and maintenance. Remember to always exercise caution when working on a ladder and use other safety measures to keep yourself out of harm's way as you protect your house from water damage.

Slate roofing tile is a wonderful look for any home. Slate is natural stone, and it is one of the best roofing tile mediums available. The look of Slate roofing tile is exceptional and some of the most famous houses in America are adorned with Slate roofing tile. Many historical homes have Slate roofing tiles, and this makes it even more alluring to homeowners. For those who are investing in an old home, and want to remodel but keep its original look, slate roofing tiles are a must.

Slate Roofing Tiles: The Look of Elegance

Slate roofing tiles will give any home a look of elegance and a touch of class. Slate roofing tiles come in a variety of colors, sizes, shapes, and details. Choosing to add Slate roofing tiles to your roof should be a matter of serious thought and decision. You will want to browse the various styles and choose the color and texture slate that feels best for you. You should do your homework before deciding upon Slate roofing tile.

If you arent that experienced with roofing materials, you should find a contractor who has great references and is a licensed contractor. By working with a professional, you can have all of your questions answered ahead of time, and feel more competent that you are making the best tiling decision for your roof. Dont hesitate to look up information for yourself either. Feel free to browse through the Internet or resources at your local library to help you decide which Slate roofing tile options are best for you. If you know someone who has had their roof redone, then ask them for recommendations.

The colors of Slate roofing tiles vary and they can be spectacular. The effect and enhancement that Slate roofing tiles will add to your house will not only make it more beautiful, but it will increase your home value as well. You should look for contractors who will offer you a free estimate before you make a final decision. Make sure that you verify with the contractor that the estimate will be free.

Flat roofs are a great way to keep a building safe from water. Knowing exactly what to do with a flat roof will ensure you have a working roof system that will last a long time.

Though they may look good, and are very common, flat roofs do require routine maintenance and detailed repair in order to effectively prevent water infiltration. If this is done correctly, you'll be happy with your flat roof for a very long time.

Flat roofs aren't as glamorous and/or popular as its newer counterparts, such as slate, tile, or copper roofs. However, they are just as important and require even more attention. In order to avoid throwing away money on short-term repairs, you should know exactly how flat roof systems are designed, the various types of flat roofs that are available, and the importance of routine inspection and maintenance.

A flat roof system works by providing a waterproof membrane over a building. It consists of one or more layers of hydrophobic materials that is placed over a structural deck with a vapor barrier that is typically placed between the deck and the roof membrane.

Flashing, or thin strips of material such as copper, intersect with the membrane and the other building components to prevent water infiltration. The water is then directed to drains, downspouts, and gutters by the roof's slight pitch.

There are four most common types of flat roof systems. Listed in order of increasing durability and cost, they are: roll asphalt, single-ply membrane, multiple-ply or built-up, and flat-seamed metal. They can range anywhere from as low as $2 per square foot for roll asphalt or single-ply roofing that is applied over and existing roof, to $20 per square foot or more for new metal roofs.

Used since the 1890s, asphalt roll roofing generally consists of one layer of asphalt-saturated organic or fiberglass base felts that are applied over roof felt with nails and cold asphalt cement and usually covered with a granular mineral surface. The seams are typically covered over with a roofing compound. It can last about 10 years.

Single-ply membrane roofing is the newest type of roofing material. It is often used to replace multiple-ply roofs. 10 to 12 year warranties are typical, but proper installation is crucial and maintenance is still required.

Multiple-ply or built-up roofing, also known as BUR, is made of overlapping rolls of saturated or coated felts or mats that are interspersed with layers of bitumen and surfaced with a granular roofing sheet, ballast, or tile pavers that are used to protect the underlying materials from the weather. BURs are designed to last 10 to 30 years, which depends on the materials used.

Ballast, or aggregate, of crushed stone or water-worn gravel is embedded in a coating of asphalt or coal tar. Since the ballast or tile pavers cover the membrane, it makes inspecting and maintaining the seams of the roof difficult.

Lastly, flat-seamed roofs have been used since the 19 th century. Made from small pieces of sheet metal soldered flush at the joints, it can last many decades depending on the quality of the material, maintenance, and exposure to the elements.

Galvanized metal does require regular painting in order to avoid corrosion and split seams need to be re-soldered. Other metal surfaces, such as copper, can become pitted and pin-holed from acid raid and usually requires replacing. Today copper, lead-coated copper, and terne-coated stainless steel are favored as long-lasting flat roofs.