Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof lasts around 20 years, more or less depending on storm damage and wear and tear. Other roofing materials last longer, but are more expensive to install.
The extent and quality of care you give your roof can reduce or extend the time between roof replacements. If you are good about caring for your roof, you could end up only having to install a new roof once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the care it needs.
Installing a new roof is very expensive regardless of the type of roof you have. You’re a lot better off doing 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 can’t stand the idea of climbing a ladder – you can always hire a licensed, certified roofer in Temple to help you with all your maintenance and roof repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing things to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is the most affordable route to increase the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a few preventative care ideas for your home’s roof:
Cut tree limbs hanging over your roof. Powerful winds and rain storms can break tree limbs and even push over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees can also drop their branches onto your roof if they’re not routinely pruned. Falling limbs ruin all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed over your gutters to reduce clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that you have to do and help prevent rain flowing into your yard. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning company in Temple.
Have 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 roofing company can let you know if there’s an issue that should be resolved.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish 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 products so you can feel safe about spraying these coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and possibly come in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation system are in excellent condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation issue. Lack of ventilation can result in trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors inside of your home. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will wreak havoc on wood and other home materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll have to do some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll help prevent leaks and increase the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these things 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 renew the appearance of your home. Temple Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Temple as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your gutters regularly, especially while it’s raining, to observe if there are clogs that should be removed. 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 shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots can attach to roof shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Most homeowners prefer 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 major problems should occur. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies in Temple are trained to tackle these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in optimal condition.
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 to protect your home’s roof. If they start coming off, the roof will start to look worn, but, more importantly, it won’t protect what’s below. Only a small section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is superficial.
Replace fascia. Occasionally, the part of your home’s roof that rests between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will have to be replaced. The fascia can 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 hard to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks, and it is very easily damaged. If more extensive work is required, replacing the flashing is an easy project 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 probably only have to install a new one once or twice. Of course, if you move several times, you could end up replacing quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When purchasing a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can also include the cost of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or request that the home seller has the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a home, give Temple Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Temple to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.