Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof will last 20-25 years, depending on storm damage and natural wear and tear. Other roofing materials can last longer, but are also more expensive to install.
The extent and quality of care you give your roof can shorten or extend the time between roof replacements. If you are good about caring for your roof, you might end up only having to replace your roof once in your lifetime, just so long as you give it the attention it needs.
Roof replacement is expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re better off doing maintenance and minor repairs as they arise in order to help extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing abilities – or just can’t stand the thought of climbing up 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 by far the most affordable route to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a couple of preventative care ideas for your home’s roof:
Cut tree limbs hanging over your roof. Strong winds and rain can break tree limbs and even push over trees. Rotting, dying trees will also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they are not pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and metal roofs.
Install rain gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed on top of your rain gutters to prevent clogging. They can reduce 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 work to a roofer or gutter cleaning service.
Schedule routine inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of aging such as rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a pro will let you know if there’s an issue that has to be handled.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings renew the oils from roof 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 options so you can feel safe about applying these products on your home, where they will inevitably 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 problem. Limited ventilation will lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly lead to mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors in your home. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will ruin 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 lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these chores at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking good:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will reduce the risk of pests building nests on your home’s roof, and it will immediately renew the appearance of your home. Mt. Pleasant Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Mount Pleasant as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your rain gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to observe if there are any clogs that should be removed. Most pros recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it likely means that your roof is shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots can attach to roof shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t removed quickly. Many homeowners decide to have a professional service do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but so long as you take care of them quickly, no serious problems should result. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident enough doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers are more than willing 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 knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain storms. These asphalt pieces help protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will start to look worn, but, more importantly, it won’t protect what’s underneath. Only a section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the section of your home’s roof that sits between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will also need 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 impossible to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks, and it is easily damaged. If more extensive work is needed, replacing the flashing is also a simple task 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 around 20 and 30 years, you will likely only need to install a new one one or two times. Of course, if you move often, you might end up installing quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When buying a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can include the cost 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 trying to sell a home, give Mt. Pleasant Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Mount Pleasant to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.