Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof will last around 20-25 years, depending on damage and usual wear and tear. Other roofing materials last longer, but are also more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof can shorten or extend the time between roof replacements. If you are lucky, you might end up only having to install a new roof once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the attention it needs.
Roof replacement is very expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re a lot better off in the long run doing routine maintenance and small repairs as needed in order to help extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing skills – or just can’t stand the idea of climbing a tall ladder – you can call a licensed, certified roofer to help you with all your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is the cheapest way to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a couple of preventative care ideas for your home’s roof:
Cut branches hanging over your roof. High winds and rain can break branches and even push over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees will also drop their heavy branches onto your roof if they are not regularly pruned. Falling limbs destroy all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and metal roofs.
Install rain gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed over your rain gutters to prevent clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that you have to do and help prevent rain flowing into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning company.
Have routine inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after only a couple of years, and metal roofs will be dented or start to show signs of age like rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a company will let you know if there’s a problem that has 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 lifespan. There are regular and plant-based options so you can feel safe about applying these products on your home, where they will inevitably run off and be in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation systems are in good condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation issue. Lack of ventilation will cause trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors throughout your house. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will ruin wood and other home materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll have to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done in a timely manner, you’ll help prevent leaks and lengthen the lifespan of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these things at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests building nests on your home’s roof, and it will immediately renew the curb appeal. Fishers Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Fishers as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that should be cleared. Most pros 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 too shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots can attach to shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t gotten rid of quickly. Most homeowners choose to have a professional do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages will happen, but so long as you tend to them right away, no major problems should occur. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident doing small repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies are able to tackle these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in good shape.
Replace damaged or worn shingles. Shingles have asphalt bits attached to them. The texture can be removed from the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain storms. These asphalt pieces help protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will start to look worn, but, most importantly, it won’t protect what’s below. Only a section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is only superficial.
Replace fascia. Occasionally, the section of your home’s roof that sits between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will also have to be replaced. The fascia can sometimes leak, allowing mold and mildew into your home, plus pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in gaps on the roof where it is difficult to place roofing material. It’s the perfect location for leaks on a roof, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, replacing the flashing is also a simple project for professionals and proficient homeowners as well.
YOUR ROOF NEEDS LOVE TOO!
The roof is typically the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifespan of a roof being between 20 and 30 years, you will likely only have to install a new one once or twice. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up replacing a lot of roofs during 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 necessary – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller has the roof replaced before the sale. When selling a house, give Fishers Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Fishers to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.