Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof will last 20-25 years, more or less depending on damage and wear and tear. Other roofing materials can last longer, but are more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof can shorten or increase the time between roof replacements. If you are lucky, you might end up only having to replace your roof once in your lifetime, just as long as you give it the maintenance it needs.
Installing a new roof is expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re better off doing maintenance and minor repairs as they arise in order to lengthen the lifetime of your roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing abilities – or just don’t like the thought of climbing a ladder – you can always hire a licensed, certified roofer to help you with all of your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent roof damage before it occurs is by far the cheapest way to lengthen the lifetime of your roof. Here are a couple of preventative care projects for your roof:
Cut branches that hang over your roof. Powerful winds and rain storms can break branches and even knock over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees can also drop their branches onto your roof if they’re not 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 prevent overflow into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning service.
Have routine inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after a few years, and metal roofs can get dented or begin to show signs of age such as rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a pro can let you know if there’s an issue that needs to be repaired.
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 lifetime. There are regular and plant-based products so you can feel safe about applying these products on your home, where they will inevitably run off and be 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 problem. Lack of ventilation can result in trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors inside of your house. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will wreak havoc on wood and other materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Here and there, you’ll have to do some general maintenance on your roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll prevent leaks and lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these chores at least once every 12 months to prevent damages and keep your roof looking good:
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 renew the curb appeal. San Leandro Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in San Leandro as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that should be cleared. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it means that your roof is too shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots will attach to shingles and other materials and damage them if it isn’t removed quickly. Many homeowners prefer 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 take care of them right away, no serious issues should result. If you are a capable handyman, you may feel confident doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers are certified to complete 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 removed from the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain storms. These asphalt pieces help to protect your roof. If they start to come 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 part of your roof that rests between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will need to be replaced. The fascia can sometimes leak, letting mold and mildew into your home, plus pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in the gaps on the roof where it is impossible to place roofing material. It’s the perfect location for leaks, and it is easily damaged. If more extensive work is required, replacing the flashing is an easy project for professionals 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 probably only need to replace it one or two times. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up installing a lot of roofs in your lifetime.
When buying a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can include the cost of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or request that the seller has the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a house, give San Leandro Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in San Leandro to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.