Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof will last 20 years, more or less depending on storm damage and usual wear and tear. Other roofing materials will last longer, but are also more expensive to install.
The extent and quality of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or increase the time between roof replacements. If you are good about maintaining your roof, you could end up only having to install a new 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 a lot better off in the long run doing routine maintenance and minor repairs as needed to help extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing skills – or just hate the thought of climbing up a ladder – you can hire a licensed, certified roofer in Fayetteville to help you with all your maintenance and roof repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent roof damage before it occurs is by far the most affordable way to increase the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are some preventative care tips for your home’s roof:
Cut tree branches hanging over your roof. High winds and rain storms can break tree branches and even push over whole trees. Decaying, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they are not routinely pruned. Falling limbs destroy all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed over your gutters to reduce clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning you have to do and help prevent overflow into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Fayetteville.
Have routine inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after only a few years, and metal roofs will be dented or begin to show signs of age such as rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a company can let you know if there’s a problem that has to be taken care of.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish 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 products so you can feel safe about putting these coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and come in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation systems are in prime condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation can cause trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors in your home. Besides being a nuisance, 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 need to complete 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 materials it’s made from.
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 reduce the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your home’s roof, and it will renew the appearance of your home. Fayetteville Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Fayetteville as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your gutters regularly, especially while it’s raining, to see if there are clogs that have to be cleared. Most pros 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 attach to roof shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Many homeowners decide to have a professional service 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 right away, no serious issues should result. If you are a handyman, you may feel confident enough doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Fayetteville 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 heavy rain storms. These asphalt chunks 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 only superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the section of your home’s 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 leak, letting mold and mildew into your home, plus pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in the gaps on the roof where it is difficult to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks, and it is easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, 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 could end up installing quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When purchasing a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can include the cost of a new roof – if necessary – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller have the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a home, give Fayetteville Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Fayetteville to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.