Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof will last around 20-25 years, more or less depending on damage and usual wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials will last longer, but they are more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or increase the time between roof replacements. If you are lucky, you could end up only having to replace your roof on your home once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the care it needs.
Roof replacement is expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re a lot better off in the long run doing maintenance and small repairs as needed to help extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing abilities – or just don’t like the idea of climbing a ladder – you can find 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 cheapest route to extend the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are some preventative care tips for your home’s roof:
Cut tree limbs that hang over your roof. Powerful winds and rain can break tree limbs and even push over whole trees. Decaying, dying trees will also drop their heavy branches onto your roof if they are not pruned. Falling limbs destroy 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 reduce the amount of gutter cleaning you have to do and help prevent rain flowing into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning company.
Schedule regular inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after only a couple of years, and metal roofs will be dented or begin to show signs of aging such as rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a pro will let you know if there’s a problem that should be resolved.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish the oils from roof 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 putting these products on your home, where they will run off and be in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation system are in excellent condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation will cause trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors in your house. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other home materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll have to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done in a timely manner, you’ll help prevent leaks and extend the lifespan 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 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 renew the curb appeal. Thornton Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Thornton as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your gutters regularly, 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 too shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots will attach to roof shingles and other types of materials and ruin them if it isn’t removed fast enough. Most homeowners decide to have a professional service do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but so long as you take care of them right away, no serious problems should result. If you are a capable handyman, you may feel confident enough doing small roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers 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 removed from the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain storms. These asphalt chunks help protect your home’s roof. If they start coming off, the roof will begin to 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. Occasionally, the part 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, letting mold and mildew into your home, let alone 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 on a roof, and it is easily damaged. If more complicated work is required, replacing the flashing is an easy project 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 have to install a new one one or two times. Of course, if you move several times, you could end up installing quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When purchasing a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can also include the price of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller have the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a house, give Thornton Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Thornton to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.