AQ Roofing LLC

A well-built roof has several benefits that you may often take for granted. But you need to realize that your roof serves a much more important purpose than just boosting your home’s visual appeal. One of the reasons why regular maintenance is recommended is to ensure that it’s in good condition throughout its expected lifespan.

Having your roof maintained properly by a trusted contractor also ensures there aren’t any issues or problems that may otherwise damage or endanger your roof. This includes potential leaks, missing shingles and damaged gutters. So, when you search online, be sure to hire a trusted professional who has ample experience in maintaining residential and commercial roofs.

But even if a well-built roof is maintained properly, it’s still prone to sudden and unexpected fire hazards. Roof fires, even if put out immediately, are capable of severely damaging your home if you’re not prepared. Fortunately, there are effective ways to keep that from happening to your roof with the right maintenance and safety precautions. Consider these useful tips for reducing the risk of fire on your roof:

Keep Your Roof and Its Surroundings Clean

Every piece of wood, grass, leaves, plastic and other similar debris lying on your roof and around your home is potential fuel that fire needs to burn. This also increases the risk that fire can engulf your home, especially if you have a lot of debris on your roof. Even if you have fire-resistant roofing materials installed, they can still ignite and burn if you expose them to high temperatures for too long. 

This is why it’s important to clear out your roof and its surroundings regularly to reduce the risk of fire. You can start by clearing the area around your home so that you create a buffer that keeps the fire from spreading. You can also hire a trusted roofing contractor who can trim any branches overhanging your roof to prevent leaves and twigs from falling over it. If you use firewood for your backyard barbecue party or during the winter months, make sure to store them away from your home when not in use.

Repair Exposed or Damaged Areas on Your Roof

Even if your roof is installed with fireproof materials, it won’t be effective against fire hazards if some of its sections are exposed to natural elements. For instance, if you have missing shingles or damaged flashing, you’ll not only have water leaks to worry about, but increased fire risks as well. A fire can get through these weak points and spread faster to its inner structure.

It’s important to take immediate action as soon as damage on your roof is spotted. Call in your trusted roofing contractors so that they’ll conduct a thorough inspection of your roof. They’ll also know how to properly resolve any issues they find to prevent future problems from occurring on your roof.

Check Your Home’s Wiring and Electrical System

Another leading cause of roof fires is faulty electrical wiring. Fires caused by electrical wiring happen more often in seasons where there’s increased use of electrical equipment to keep warm or cool at home. There’s always a chance that part of your electrical system can have faulty wiring which can ignite and potentially cause a fire to your home.

If you’re expecting to use your air conditioner more often during spring until the end of summer, it’s important to have your electrical wiring inspected by an experienced professional. Your roofing system will typically have electrical installations, conduit pipes or other types of electrical wiring somewhere in the attic. 

If your roof has water leaks, this can be a potential fire hazard as the water can damage the electrical components. This can short circuit and cause sparks that can ignite the materials around it. 

Regularly Clean Your Chimney

If you often use your fireplace, the combusted materials form part of the debris and soot that go up the chimney. Over time, partial combustion and other organic debris can accumulate and form a layer of dark brown or black flammable tar known as creosote. This material can easily catch fire when ignited and can spread to your roof if it isn’t protected properly. Fortunately, the risk of this happening can be reduced if you have your chimney cleaned at least once a year by an expert chimney cleaner. 

Check Your Insulation Material

Insulation is found not just in your attic, but on the walls and ceiling as well. You might think that insulation is a big fire hazard, but this isn’t the case. It’s more often caused by poor installation or how faulty wiring got shorted near or within insulation that was previously installed. 

To ensure that the insulation in your attic and ceiling stays intact, have your roofing contractors inspect it for any sign of damage that needs to be repaired. They’ll check if the insulation isn’t too near a heat source to ensure it doesn’t become a fire hazard. They’ll also check if there’s adequate insulation installed around the exhaust pipes of your roof to prevent trapped heat from slowly deteriorating the roofing material.

Use Fire-Resistant Materials for Your Roof Replacement Project

If you’re planning to get a full roof replacement, then you shouldn’t think twice about getting a fire-resistant roofing material for your project. Roof fire ratings help you distinguish which level of safety and fire resistance you need for your home. There are three categories to choose from. Class A offers the best fire resistance while Class B isn’t as resistant but still offers good protection. Class C roofs offer the least amount of fire resistance out of the three, which isn’t always recommended depending on where you live. 

There are different types of materials that are categorized into different classes based on their fire resistance. But if you want only the best for your roof, we strongly recommend class A roofing materials. We offer excellent Class A fire-resistant roofing materials, such as the TAMKO® Heritage® Series, which not only complements your home’s architecture, but also protects your property against potential fire hazards. We even offer CertainTeed® architectural laminate roofing shingle called Landmark®, which is also Class A-rated!

If you want to reduce the risk of fire in and around your roofing system, don’t hesitate to consult our services. When you’re looking online for a good roofer, just check out what we have to offer at AQ Roofing LLC. Call us at (501) 951-1683 or by filling out our convenient online contact form so we can start on your next roofing project!