Tips to Maintain Your Roof

The standard shingle roof will last 20-25 years, depending on damage and natural wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials last longer, but they are more expensive to install.

The amount and quality of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or lengthen the time between roof replacements. If you play your cards right, you could end up only having to replace your roof on your home once in your lifetime, as long as you give it the maintenance it needs.

Roof replacement is expensive regardless of the type of roof you have. You’re better off doing maintenance and small repairs as they arise to extend the lifetime of your roof.

If you are not confident in your roofing skills – or just hate the thought of climbing a tall ladder – you can call a licensed, certified roofer to give you a hand with all your maintenance and repair projects.

PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE

Doing tasks to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is by far the most affordable way to lengthen the lifetime of your roof. Here are some preventative care tips for your roof:

Cut branches that hang over your roof. Gusting winds and rain storms can break branches and even knock over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees will also drop their branches onto your roof if they are not routinely pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.

Install rain gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed over your rain gutters to prevent clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning that you have to do and prevent overflow into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning company.

Have regular inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after only a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of aging such as rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a roofing company will let you know if there’s a problem that needs to be taken care of.

Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish the oils from shingles so they don’t dry out, making your roof last 5 years or more beyond its expected lifetime. There are regular and plant-based options so you can feel safe about applying these coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and possibly be in contact with your children, pets and lawn.

Ensure your insulation and ventilation systems are in excellent condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation will result in trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors throughout your house. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will wreak havoc on wood and other materials, damaging your home’s structure.

ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE

From time to time, you’ll want to do some general maintenance on your roof. If this is done in a timely manner, you’ll prevent leaks and lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.

Do these things at least once every 12 months to prevent damages and keep your roof looking nice:

Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove debris, mold and dirt. This will reduce the risk of pests building nests on your roof, and it will renew the appearance of your home. Independence Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Independence as one of our services.

Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your rain gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to observe if there are clogs that have to be cleared. Most gutter experts recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall.

Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it probably means that your roof is shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots can attach to shingles and other types of materials and ruin them if it isn’t gotten rid of quickly. Most homeowners prefer to have a professional do this so no damage is done in the process.

MINOR ROOF REPAIRS

Damages will happen, but as long as you tend to them quickly, no serious problems should result. If you are a capable handyman, you may feel confident enough doing small repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers are able to tackle these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in optimal condition.

Replace damaged or worn shingles. Shingles have asphalt bits attached to them. The texture can be knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain. These asphalt chunks help to protect your roof. If they start coming off, the roof will start to look worn, but, most importantly, it won’t protect what’s underneath. Only a small section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is only superficial.

Replace fascia. Occasionally, the part of your roof that rests between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will have to be replaced. The fascia can leak, allowing mold and mildew into your home, let alone pests.

Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in gaps on the roof where it is impossible to place roofing material. It’s the perfect location for leaks, and it is easily damaged. If more extensive work is necessary, replacing the flashing is an easy project for roofers and proficient homeowners as well.

YOUR ROOF NEEDS LOVE TOO!

The roof is one of the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifetime of a roof being between 20 and 30 years, you will probably only have to replace it once or twice. Of course, if you move frequently, you could end up installing quite a few roofs in your lifetime.

When purchasing a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can also include the price of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or request that the seller have the roof replaced prior to the sale. When selling a house, give Independence Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Independence to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.