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Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 98F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Generally fair. Low 68F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.

There are many places in the United States that have drought situation which has sparked large fires, especially in the West. A lack of rain has dried out under brush which makes it easy to start a forest fire. And because the lack of rain has gone on so long it is perfect conditions for flash flooding when rain finally comes along.  

Because many homes have air conditioning, and the population is really dependent upon it, the energy companies are struggling. In some areas rolling blackouts have been established to prevent the grid from collapsing.  

The wear and tear on your home during this time can be costly. One of the biggest expenses besides a new air conditioning system is to replace the windows in your home with more insulation against the heat and cold.  

Along with the windows, new siding could also be needed. Homes that have not had new siding have money flowing out the walls because of a lack of insulation and siding. No matter how great your cooling system may be, if you have old windows and siding your system will not keep your house cool without draining your budget.  

There is one more area that many homeowners totally forget about because it is out of sight, and that is the roof. If your home is located out in the open, you need to check the roof immediately. Direct sunlight can heat up your roof at least 30% higher than the outside air temperature. Which means that if the actual temperature is 100 degre es, your roof could be heated to 130 degrees or more.  

Excessive heat on the roofing materials will take a toll faster if the materials are 5 years or older. Extreme heat can put stress on the roof and cause serious damage to shingles.  

Shingles can crack and once cracked any moisture can cause roof rot, leaks, buckling and mildew. Any one of those problems can lead to expensive repair or replacement of your roof. Extreme heat can cause the shingles to also melt.  

Metal roofs aren’t safe from the heat either. Excessive heat can cause the panels to expand and buckle, allowing moisture to collect underneath the panels which could lead to rot and mold. Once the metal panels are compromised it is possible with strong winds for the panels to rip away and land in someone’s yard or possibly cause damage to a neighbor's home.  

Now is the time to check your roof or have a professional roofing company take a look at the condition of your roof and hopefully give you peace of mind that your roof has many years of life to give you.  

There are ways to help prevent damage to your roof, but if your roof has no shade anytime during the day it is virtually impossible to protect it. However, you could apply a roof coating which acts like sunblock and helps give the roof some relief from the sun. There are also acrylic coatings that can be applied to help prevent damage. The best and also the cheapest way to keep your roof healthy is to repair any shingles, or replace missing or loose shingles.  

One other item about shingles is to pick a neutral color such as light tans or grays. The lighter the shingle is in color the more reflective it is to the sun’s rays.  

Another material that has a long life is tile. While it is possibly more expensive, the likelihood of tile cracking or blowing away is pretty slim and basically needs to have a direct hit or a strong baseline wind. Once again, if the tile does become cracked or missing replace it immediately.  

Another culprit is humidity. With high humidity condensation can cause damage by settling beneath the shingles or tiles. Once again, the perfect scenario for mold, rot or mildew which over a period of time will lead to all of the previous scenarios .  

During the summer a trip to the attic is filled with dread and the thought of the stifling heat deters us from making that trip. However, a well-ventilated attic can help your roof in a variety of ways. First, just letting the attic have airflow can lower the temperature of the roof and prevent buckling. Second, it can prevent rot, mold and mildew from forming on your items left in the attic. Whole house fans can also be used for the same purpose.  

Wanting to save energy and save your roof at the same time is just a solar panel(s) away. Solar panels can add shade to the roof while collecting energy that can be generated into electricity. Solar collects are similar but on a much smaller scale. They can help with warming water that can be used for cooking, showering and washing clothes or dishes. In the winter solar collectors would be able to heat your home if you had a hot water heating system.  

If you have any questions call your local roofer to help sort through the information.  

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