Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof will last around 20 years, depending on damage and natural wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials will last longer, but they are more expensive to install.
The extent and quality of care you give your roof along the way can reduce or lengthen 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 once in your lifetime, just so long as you give it the attention it needs.
Roof replacement is expensive regardless of the type of roof you have. You’re much better off in the long run doing maintenance and small repairs as they arise to help extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing abilities – or just don’t like the idea of climbing a ladder – you can call a licensed, certified roofer to give you a hand with all of your maintenance and repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent roof damage before it occurs is the cheapest route to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are some preventative care ideas for your home’s roof:
Cut limbs hanging over your roof. Strong winds and rain storms can break limbs and even push over whole trees. Decaying, dying trees can also drop their branches right onto your roof if they’re not routinely pruned. Falling limbs destroy all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed over your 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 on your own 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 age like rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a company can let you know if there’s a problem that should be taken care of.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings renew 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 applying these coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and possibly come in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation systems are in excellent condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation problem. Lack of ventilation can result in trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors throughout your house. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other home materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Here and there, you’ll have to do some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll help prevent leaks and lengthen the lifespan of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these chores at least once every 12 months to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking good:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove 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. St. Pete’s Pressure WashCo. offers roof cleaning in St Petersburg 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 see if there are any clogs that need to be removed. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it means that your roof is shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots attach to shingles and other types of materials and damage them if it isn’t eliminated quickly. Most homeowners prefer to have a professional service do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages will happen, but so long as you tend to them quickly, no major issues should result. If you are a capable handyman, you may 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 optimal condition.
Replace damaged or worn shingles. Shingles have asphalt pieces attached to them. The texture can be knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain storms. These asphalt pieces help protect your home’s 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 section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is only superficial.
Replace fascia. Occasionally, the part of your home’s 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 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, and it is easily damaged. If more extensive work is necessary, replacing the flashing is 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 probably only need to install a new one one or two times. Of course, if you move often, you could end up installing quite a few roofs in your lifetime.
When purchasing a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can 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 trying to sell a house, give St. Pete’s Pressure WashCo. a call for professional roof cleaning in St Petersburg to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.