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 can last longer, but are more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or lengthen the time between roof replacements. If you play your cards right, you might end up only having to install a new roof on your home once in your lifetime, just as long as you give it the care it requires.
Installing a new roof is expensive regardless of the type of roof you have. You’re better off in the long run doing routine maintenance and small repairs as they arise in order to help extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing abilities – or just can’t stand the idea of climbing a ladder – you can always call a licensed, certified roofer in Springfield to give you a hand with all your maintenance and roof repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is the most affordable way to extend 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. Strong winds and rain can break tree limbs and even push over trees. Rotting, dying trees will 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 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 help prevent rain flowing into your yard. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning company in Springfield.
Have routine inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after only a few years, and metal roofs will be dented or start to show signs of aging such as rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a company will let you know if there’s an issue that has to 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 options so you can feel safe about putting these products on your home, where they will inevitably run off and come in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation system are in prime condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation will cause trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors inside of your home. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will ruin wood and other home materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Every once in a while, you’ll have to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll help prevent leaks and extend the lifetime 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 nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your home’s roof, and it will immediately renew the appearance of your home. Supreme Springfield Pressure Wash offers roof cleaning in Springfield as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your rain gutters regularly, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that need to be removed. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it likely 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 removed fast enough. Most homeowners decide to have a professional do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but as long as you take care of them right away, no serious problems should occur. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident doing small roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Springfield are certified 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 removed from the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain storms. These asphalt pieces help to protect your home’s roof. If they start coming 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 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 need to be replaced. The fascia can sometimes 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 difficult to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks on a roof, and it is easily damaged. If more complicated 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 typically the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifetime of a roof being around 20 and 30 years, you will likely only need to install a new one once or twice. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up buying quite a few roofs in your lifetime.
When buying a new home, 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 home seller have the roof replaced prior to the sale. When selling a home, give Supreme Springfield Pressure Wash a call for professional roof cleaning in Springfield to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.