Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof will last 20-25 years, depending on storm damage and usual wear and tear. Other roofing materials last longer, but they are also more expensive to install.
The amount and level of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or extend the time between new roof replacements. If you play your cards right, you might end up only having to replace your roof on your home once in your lifetime, just as long as you give it the care it requires.
Installing a new roof is very expensive no matter the type of roof you have. You’re better off in the long run doing maintenance and minor repairs as they arise to help lengthen the lifetime of your roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing abilities – or just don’t like the thought of climbing a ladder – you can hire a licensed, certified roofer to help you with all your maintenance and roof repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent roof damage before it happens is the most affordable route to lengthen the lifetime of your roof. Here are a few preventative care ideas for your roof:
Cut tree branches hanging over your roof. Gusting winds and rain can break tree branches and even knock over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees will also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they are not routinely 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 that can be installed on top of your rain gutters to prevent 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 couple of years, and metal roofs will be dented or start to show signs of age such as rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a company will let you know if there’s an issue that needs to be handled.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings renew the oils from roof 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 come in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation system are in prime condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation will lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors in your house. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll need to do some general maintenance on your roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll help prevent leaks and lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these things at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your roof looking nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your roof, and it will immediately renew the appearance of your home. Lake Forest Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Lake Forest 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 clogs that should be cleared. Most pros recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it probably means that your roof is too shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots will attach to roof shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t removed quickly. Most homeowners choose 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 quickly, no major problems should occur. If you are a capable handyman, you may feel confident enough doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies are certified 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 heavy rain storms. These asphalt pieces help protect your 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 small section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the part of your roof that rests 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, letting mold and mildew into your home, and sometimes 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 an easy project for roofers and proficient homeowners as well.
YOUR ROOF NEEDS LOVE TOO!
The roof is typically 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 one or two times. 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 time. You can include the cost of a new roof – if necessary – in the closing costs or ask that the seller has the roof replaced prior to the sale. When selling a house, give Lake Forest Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Lake Forest to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.