Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof will last 20-25 years, depending on damage and usual wear and tear. Other roofing materials last longer, but they are more expensive to install.
The amount and level of care you give your roof can shorten or increase the time between roof replacements. If you play your cards right, you might end up only having to replace your roof once in your lifetime, as long as you give it the care it needs.
Installing a new roof is very expensive regardless of the type of roof you have. You’re better off in the long run doing maintenance and minor repairs as they arise to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing skills – or just hate the thought of climbing a tall ladder – you can find a licensed, certified roofer to help you with all of your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is by far the most affordable way to increase the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are some preventative care tips for your home’s roof:
Cut branches that hang over your roof. Gusting winds and rain can break branches and even knock over trees. Rotting, dying trees will also drop their branches onto your roof if they’re not pruned. Falling limbs ruin all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed over your gutters to reduce clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning you need to do and prevent overflow into your yard. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning service.
Have routine inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of age like rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a pro will let you know if there’s an issue that has to be taken care of.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish the oils from shingles so they don’t dry out, helping your roof last 5 years or more beyond its expected lifetime. There are regular and plant-based products so you can feel safe about putting these coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and possibly come in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation system are in prime condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation will lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors inside of your home. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will wreak havoc on wood and other materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Here and there, you’ll want to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll prevent leaks and increase the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these projects at least once every 12 months to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking good:
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 instantly freshen up the appearance of your home. Plymouth Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Plymouth as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your gutters often, especially while it’s raining, to observe if there are any clogs that have to be cleared. Most gutter experts recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it likely means that your roof is shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots attach to shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Many homeowners opt 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 issues should occur. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident enough doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers are more than willing to complete 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 knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain. These asphalt chunks 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 underneath. Only a section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the section of your home’s roof that sits 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, 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 most common location for leaks, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, replacing the flashing is an easy task for professionals 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 need to install a new one once or twice. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up installing quite a few roofs in your lifetime.
When purchasing a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can include the price of a new roof – if necessary – in the closing costs or ask that the seller has the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a home, give Plymouth Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Plymouth to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.