Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof lasts 20-25 years, depending on storm damage and natural wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials can last longer, but are also more expensive to install.
The amount and level of care you give your roof can reduce or extend the time between roof replacements. If you are lucky, you might end up only having to install a new roof on your home once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the care it needs.
Roof replacement is very expensive regardless of the type of roof. You’re much better off doing routine maintenance and small repairs as needed to extend the lifetime of your roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing skills – or just don’t like the idea of climbing a ladder – you can always call a licensed, certified roofer to help you with all of your maintenance and roof repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing things to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is by far the most affordable route to extend the lifetime of your roof. Here are a few preventative care measures for your roof:
Cut tree limbs hanging over your roof. Powerful winds and rain can break tree limbs and even knock over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees can also drop their branches right onto your roof if they are not pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install rain gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed over your rain gutters to prevent clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that you have to do and prevent overflow into your yard. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning service.
Schedule routine 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 like rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a roofing company can let you know if there’s a problem that has to be taken care of.
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 applying these products on your home, where they will run off and come in contact with your children, pets and lawn.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation system are in good condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation problem. Lack of ventilation can cause trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors inside of your house. Besides being annoying, 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 want to do some general maintenance on your roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll prevent leaks and extend the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made of.
Do these projects at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your roof looking good:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your roof, and it will renew the appearance of your home. Asheville Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Asheville as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out 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 have to be removed. Most gutter experts recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it means that your roof is shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots will attach to roof shingles and other types of materials and damage them if it isn’t eliminated fast enough. Most homeowners choose to have a professional 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 serious problems should occur. If you are a handyman, you may feel confident doing small roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies are more than willing to tackle 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. These asphalt chunks 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 underneath. Only a section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is only superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the section of your roof that sits 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, allowing 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 very easily damaged. If more extensive work is required, 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 between 20 and 30 years, you will probably only have to replace it once or twice. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up installing quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When purchasing a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can also include the price of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the seller have the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a house, give Asheville Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Asheville to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.