Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof lasts around 20-25 years, more or less depending on storm damage and natural wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials will 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 play your cards right, you could end up only having to replace your roof on your home once in your lifetime, just as long as you give it the attention it needs.
Roof replacement is very expensive no matter the type of roof you have. You’re better off doing routine maintenance and minor repairs as they arise to help extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing abilities – or just hate the idea of climbing a ladder – you can call a licensed, certified roofer to give you a hand with all your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing things to prevent roof damage before it happens is by far the cheapest route to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are some preventative care measures for your home’s roof:
Cut tree limbs that hang over your roof. High winds and rain can break tree limbs and even push over trees. Decaying, dying trees will 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 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 that you have to do and help prevent rain flowing 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 start to lose asphalt granules after a couple of years, and metal roofs will be dented or start to show signs of age like rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a roofing pro will let you know if there’s an issue that needs to be resolved.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings renew the oils from shingles so they don’t dry out, making your roof last 5 years or more beyond its expected lifespan. There are regular and plant-based options so you can feel safe about putting these coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and possibly come in contact with your children, pets and lawn.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation systems are in prime condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation will cause trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as odors inside of your house. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other home materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Every once in a while, you’ll need to do some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done in a timely manner, you’ll help prevent leaks and lengthen the lifespan 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 limit the risk of pests building nests on your home’s roof, and it will renew the curb appeal. CSC Charleston Pressure Wash offers roof cleaning in Charleston as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters often, especially while it’s raining, to observe if there are clogs that need to be removed. Most gutter experts recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it probably means that your roof is too shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots attach to shingles and other types of materials and ruin them if it isn’t removed quickly. Most homeowners opt to have a professional do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but as long as you tend to them quickly, no serious problems should occur. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers are trained to tackle these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in optimal condition.
Replace damaged or worn shingles. Shingles have asphalt pieces attached to them. The texture can be knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain. 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 underneath. Only a small section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the part of your home’s roof that rests between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will also need to be replaced. The fascia can leak, allowing 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 most common location for leaks, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, replacing the flashing is also an easy task for roofers and proficient homeowners as well.
YOUR ROOF NEEDS LOVE TOO!
The roof is one of the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifespan of a roof being around 20 and 30 years, you will probably only have to replace it once or twice. Of course, if you move several times, you could end up replacing quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When buying a new house, 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 before the sale. When selling a house, give CSC Charleston Pressure Wash a call for professional roof cleaning in Charleston to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.