Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof lasts around 20-25 years, more or less depending on damage and natural wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials last longer, but are more expensive to install.
The extent and level of care you give your roof along the way can reduce or increase the time between roof replacements. If you play your cards right, you might end up only having to replace your roof on your home once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the maintenance it needs.
Roof replacement is very expensive regardless of the type of roof you have. You’re a lot better off doing maintenance and small repairs as needed in order to help extend the lifetime of your roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing skills – or just can’t stand the idea of climbing up a tall ladder – you can always call a licensed, certified roofer in Kent to help you with all of your maintenance and roof repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing things to prevent roof damage before it occurs is the cheapest route to extend the lifetime of your roof. Here are some preventative care recommendations for your roof:
Cut tree limbs that hang over your roof. Strong winds and rain can break tree limbs and even knock over trees. Decaying, dying trees will also drop their heavy branches onto your roof if they’re not regularly 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 that can be installed over your gutters to prevent clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that 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 service in Kent.
Have regular inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of age like rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a company will let you know if there’s an issue that should be repaired.
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 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 landscaping.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation system are in good condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation will lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly lead to mold and mildew growth, as well as odors in your house. Besides being a nuisance, 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 roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll help prevent leaks and extend the lifespan of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made of.
Do these chores at least once every 12 months to prevent damages and keep your roof looking nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests building nests on your roof, and it will immediately renew the appearance of your home. Kent Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Kent as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your gutters regularly, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that have to 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 relatively moist. Moss’s roots can attach to roof shingles and other types of materials and damage them if it isn’t eliminated quickly. Most homeowners choose to have a professional service do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but so long as you tend to them quickly, no major problems should result. If you are a handyman, you may feel confident enough doing small roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Kent are certified to complete 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. These asphalt chunks help protect your roof. If they start to come off, the roof will start to 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. Occasionally, the part of your 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, 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 perfect location for leaks on a roof, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, replacing the flashing is an easy project 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 between 20 and 30 years, you will likely only need to replace it one or two times. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up buying quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When buying a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can include the cost of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or request that the seller have the roof replaced before the sale. When selling a house, give Kent Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Kent to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.