Every now and then you may have a reason to get up on your roof and walk around. Perhaps you’re looking for the source of a leak, or you spotted damage on it from below. Maybe you’re putting up Christmas or other holiday lights on your house, or simply want to stand up there and enjoy the view. While your roof is certainly capable of holding your weight, you should know that frequent walking on your roof could potentially cause some damage to your shingles.
Here’s a quick overview of what you could experience in terms of roof damage from walking on it, depending on the kind of roof you have on your central Florida home.
Asphalt shingles
Asphalt shingles are far and away the most common type of roofing material in the country, thanks to their mass production, inexpensive nature and light weight. They are quite effective at protecting your home against the rain and snow and other elements, and are quite durable when new. However, over the course of time, these shingles will wear out due to their constant exposure to the elements, resulting in them becoming brittle and easier to break or crack.
Foot traffic will only serve to exacerbate this issue. If you have older shingles on your home, they’re more likely to crack when stepped on. But even newer roof tiles can be damaged by foot traffic, because of the added pressure and weight. Just because you don’t see any visible damage doesn’t mean there will be no damage at all, so it’s best to stay off your roof unless you have a good reason to be up there.
Wood or clay tiles
Wood tiles and shingles are popular in certain parts of the country because of their natural appearance. They hold up well to the sunlight and elements for a certain period of time, but walking on them results in serious risk of cracking or holes forming, which can cause leaks that will damage the rest of your home.
The same is true for clay tiles, which are also even worse for foot traffic than the other aforementioned roofing materials. These tiles are baked in high-heat ovens and are designed to withstand decades of exposure to the elements. However, their extremely brittle nature means they could break with even a small amount of pressure or a sharp, sudden impact. Broken tiles will leave behind exposed spots that must be repaired if you hope to prevent significant damage to your home.
When you combine the potential risk of walking on your roof and damaging it with the potential for you to be injured while climbing up there, it’s best for you to avoid going up on your roof at all, unless you have a really good reason to be up there. If you do venture out on to your roof, it’s important you do so safely, and make sure you tell others you’ll be up there. For more information about roofing safety in central Florida, contact Winter Springs Roofing & Repair today.