In the past, we’ve discussed how to maintain your roof in the fall, winter, and spring but what about summer? During the summer we spend our time outdoors with our family and friends as much as possible, this means we often forget about our roof which also needs our attention. The truth is summertime can be a difficult time for our roofs because of the amount of heat that is radiated. For this reason, our focus today is on summer roof maintenance: understanding the importance of sun damage & when to call your roofing contractor.
Heat Damage
As summers get hotter, we have to understand the relationship between our roof and the sun. In Oregon from July to September, the heat peeks daily around 80 to 100 degrees. This indicates that there can be two sources of damage: ultraviolet radiation & thermal expansion.
Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation
Ultraviolet Radiation is light that goes beyond our eyes, something that we cannot see. This source of light is electromagnetic radiation, it then branches off to be UV which has a specific wavelength of heat. 10% of the sun’s heat is composed of wavelengths. The amazing part about our atmosphere is that absorbs most of the UV wavelengths, in a sense our atmosphere can be compared to our roof: they are both protecting us from sun damage. The UV sun wavelengths that are absorbed by our home roof are roughly 3%.
When UV lights begin to hit our roof it does not cause a massive explosion or sudden fire, on the contrary, it’s a slow killer damaging your roof over time. The oily materials in your asphalt shingles will begin to evaporate slowly. The removal of oily material will reduce its ability to fight against water damage and loose flexibility. When the damage is significant, the shingles will become less effective at repelling water and they will crack allowing for water to damage your home on rainy days.
Thermal Expansion
Thermal Expansion is related to Ultraviolet Radiation. In this instance, the shingles absorb light energy, they heat up, & expand. Once they are cooled down they go through a process called thermal shock, where they contract. This process repeats and it causes the shingles to crack and separate over time.
What to Do?
Thankfully, we live in Oregon and it is not sunny all year round so we don’t have to worry as much as states such as Florida or California. Yet, we must be aware of the damage that can build up over time and work closely with experienced & licensed Roofing Contractors such as Valley Roofing & Exteriors! At Valley Roofing & Exteriors we collaborate with our clients to find the best methods to inspect, manage, and maintain a healthy roof. Give us a call today to discuss how we can expand the lifetime of your roof!
