Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof will last 20-25 years, depending on storm damage and natural wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials can last longer, but are also more expensive to install.
The amount and level of care you give your roof can shorten or extend the time between new roof replacements. If you are good about caring for your roof, you could end up only having to replace your roof once in your lifetime, just as long as you give it the attention it needs.
Installing a new roof is very expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re much better off doing maintenance and small repairs as they arise to extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing abilities – or just hate the thought of climbing a tall ladder – you can always find a licensed, certified roofer to give you a hand with all your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent roof damage before it happens is by far the most affordable way to increase the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are some preventative care projects for your home’s roof:
Cut branches that hang over your roof. Powerful winds and rain storms can break branches and even push over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees will also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they’re not pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed on top of your gutters to prevent clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning you need to do and prevent overflow into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning service.
Schedule regular inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after only a few years, and metal roofs will be dented or start to show signs of aging such as rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a roofing pro will let you know if there’s a problem that should be repaired.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings renew 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 putting these coatings on your home, where they will run off and possibly be in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation system are in good condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation will result in trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as odors in your home. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will wreak havoc on wood and other home materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Every once in a while, you’ll want to do 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 things at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove debris, mold and dirt. This will reduce the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your home’s roof, and it will instantly freshen up the curb appeal. Dayton Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Dayton as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your gutters regularly, especially if it’s raining, to observe if there are clogs that should be removed. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it 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 removed quickly. Many homeowners choose to have a professional do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages will happen, but as long as you tend to them quickly, no major problems should result. If you are a handyman, you may feel confident doing small repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers are more than willing 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 knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain. These asphalt chunks help to protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will 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. Sometimes, the part of your home’s roof that sits between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will also need 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 hard to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is required, replacing the flashing is also an easy project for roofers and proficient homeowners as well.
YOUR ROOF NEEDS LOVE TOO!
The roof is often the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifetime of a roof being around 20 and 30 years, you will likely only need to replace it one or two times. Of course, if you move several times, you could end up replacing a lot of roofs during your lifetime.
When purchasing a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can also include the cost of a new roof – if necessary – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller have the roof replaced before the sale. When selling a home, give Dayton Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Dayton to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.