Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof will last around 20 years, more or less depending on damage and wear and tear. Other roofing materials last longer, but they are also more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof along the way can reduce or extend the time between new roof replacements. If you are good about caring for your roof, you could end up only having to install a new roof on your home 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 have. You’re a lot better off in the long run doing maintenance and minor repairs as needed in order to help extend the lifetime of your roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing skills – or just can’t stand the idea of climbing up a tall ladder – you can always find a licensed, certified roofer to give you a hand with all of your maintenance and repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing things to prevent roof damage before it occurs is by far the most affordable route to extend the lifetime of your roof. Here are a few preventative care ideas for your roof:
Cut branches hanging over your roof. High winds and rain storms can break branches and even push over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees can also drop their branches right onto your roof if they are not 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 on top of your rain gutters to reduce clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that you need to do and help prevent overflow into your yard. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning company.
Schedule routine inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after a few years, and metal roofs will be dented or start to show signs of aging like rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a roofing company can let you know if there’s an issue that needs 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 lifespan. There are regular and plant-based options so you can feel safe about spraying these coatings on your home, where they will run off and possibly be in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation systems are in excellent condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation can result in trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors inside of your house. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will ruin wood and other home materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Here and there, you’ll need to do some general maintenance on your roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll help prevent leaks and extend the lifespan of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made of.
Do these things at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your roof looking good:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your roof, and it will freshen up the curb appeal. PRO Fort Worth Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Fort Worth as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters often, especially while it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that have to be removed. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it likely means that your roof is too shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots attach to shingles and other materials and damage them if it isn’t removed fast enough. Typically homeowners decide to have a professional service do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but as long as you take care of them right away, no major problems should result. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers are able to complete these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in good shape.
Replace damaged or worn shingles. Shingles have asphalt pieces attached to them. The texture can be removed from the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain storms. These asphalt chunks help protect your roof. If they start coming off, the roof will begin to look worn, but, more importantly, it won’t protect what’s below. Only a section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is superficial.
Replace fascia. Occasionally, the section of your 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, 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 most common location for leaks on a roof, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is required, replacing the flashing is also a simple task 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 lifespan of a roof being between 20 and 30 years, you will likely only need to replace it once or twice. Of course, if you move several times, you could end up replacing quite a few roofs in your lifetime.
When buying a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can include the price of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller has the roof replaced prior to the sale. When selling a house, give PRO Fort Worth Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Fort Worth to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.