Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof lasts around 20-25 years, depending on damage and wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials can last longer, but they are also more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof can reduce or lengthen 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 so long as you give it the care it needs.
Roof replacement is expensive regardless of the type of roof. You’re much better off in the long run doing routine maintenance and minor repairs as needed to extend the lifetime of your roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing abilities – or just hate the idea of climbing a tall ladder – you can find a licensed, certified roofer to give you a hand with all your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent roof damage before it happens is the most affordable way to lengthen the lifetime of your roof. Here are some preventative care tips for your roof:
Cut branches that hang over your roof. Strong winds and rain can break branches and even push over whole trees. Decaying, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches 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 over your rain gutters to reduce clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning you need 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.
Have routine inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or begin to show signs of age such as rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a roofing pro can let you know if there’s an issue that needs to be taken care of.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish 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 spraying these products on your home, where they will inevitably run off and possibly be in contact with your children, pets and lawn.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation system are in good condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation problem. Lack of ventilation can lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly lead to mold and mildew growth, as well as odors throughout your home. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will ruin wood and other materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Every once in a while, you’ll want to complete some general maintenance on your roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll prevent leaks and lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these things 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 freshen up the appearance of your home. Mission Viejo Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Mission Viejo as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your rain gutters regularly, especially while it’s raining, to see if there are clogs that need to be removed. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it means that your roof is too shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots attach to shingles and other types of materials and ruin them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Many homeowners opt 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 tend to them right away, no major problems should result. If you are a capable handyman, you may feel confident enough doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers are able 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 heavy rain. These asphalt pieces help protect your roof. If they start coming off, the roof will start to look worn, but, most 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 section of your 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, plus pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in 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 necessary, replacing the flashing is also a simple task for professionals 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 probably only need to install a new one once or twice. Of course, if you move several times, you might end up buying a lot of roofs during your lifetime.
When purchasing a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can also include the price of a new roof – if necessary – in the closing costs or request that the seller have the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a home, give Mission Viejo Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Mission Viejo to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.