Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof lasts 20-25 years, more or less depending on storm damage and usual wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials will last longer, but are more expensive to install.
The extent and level of care you give your roof can shorten or lengthen the time between roof replacements. If you are lucky, you might end up only having to install a new roof once in your lifetime, just as long as you give it the maintenance it requires.
Roof replacement is expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re better off doing routine maintenance and minor repairs as needed to help lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing abilities – or just hate the idea of climbing up a tall ladder – you can always find a licensed, certified roofer to give you a hand with all of your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent roof damage before it occurs is the cheapest route to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a couple of preventative care tips for your home’s roof:
Cut tree limbs hanging over your roof. Powerful winds and rain can break tree limbs and even push over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees will 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 need to do and help prevent rain flowing into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning service.
Have routine inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after only a couple of 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 roofing pro will let you know if there’s an issue that has to be resolved.
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 options so you can feel safe about applying these coatings on your home, where they will run off and come in contact with your children, pets and lawn.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation systems are in excellent condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation will result in trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors throughout your house. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will wreak havoc on wood and other materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll need to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll help prevent leaks and lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these projects at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your home’s 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 home’s roof, and it will instantly freshen up the appearance of your home. Pembroke Pines Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Pembroke Pines as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your rain gutters often, especially while it’s raining, to observe if there are any clogs that have to be removed. Most pros recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it probably means that your roof is shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots will attach to shingles and other types of materials and damage them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Many homeowners choose to have a professional service do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but as long as you tend to them right away, no serious issues should occur. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident doing minor 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 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 to come off, the roof will look worn, but, most importantly, it won’t protect what’s below. Only a 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 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 difficult to place roofing material. It’s the perfect location for leaks on a roof, and it is easily damaged. If more extensive work is needed, replacing the flashing is a simple task 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 between 20 and 30 years, you will likely only need to install a new one one or two times. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up replacing quite a few roofs in 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 necessary – in the closing costs or request that the seller have the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a house, give Pembroke Pines Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Pembroke Pines to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.