Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof lasts around 20-25 years, more or less depending on storm damage and wear and tear. Other roofing materials last longer, but they are also more expensive to install.
The extent and quality of care you give your roof can reduce 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 maintenance it needs.
Installing a new roof is very expensive regardless of the type of roof. You’re better off in the long run doing maintenance and small repairs as needed to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing skills – or just hate the thought of climbing up a ladder – you can find a licensed, certified roofer in Seattle to help you with all your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent roof damage before it occurs is by far the cheapest way to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are some preventative care measures for your home’s roof:
Cut tree limbs hanging over your roof. High winds and rain storms can break tree limbs and even knock over whole trees. Decaying, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches 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 installed over your rain gutters to prevent clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that you have to do and prevent rain flowing into your yard. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning company in Seattle.
Have regular inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after a few years, and metal roofs will be dented or begin to show signs of aging such as rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a company can let you know if there’s an issue that has to be repaired.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish the oils from shingles so they don’t dry out, helping your roof last 5 years or more beyond its expected lifespan. There are regular and plant-based products so you can feel safe about applying these products on your home, where they will inevitably run off and be in contact with your children, pets and lawn.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation system are in excellent condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation can cause trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors throughout your house. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will wreak havoc on wood and other materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Here and there, you’ll want to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll prevent leaks and lengthen the lifespan of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these chores at least once every 12 months 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 building nests on your home’s roof, and it will renew the appearance of your home. Seattle Pressure Wash Plus offers roof cleaning in Seattle 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 see if there are any clogs that should be removed. Most gutter experts recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it likely means that your roof is shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots attach to shingles and other materials and damage them if it isn’t removed fast enough. Most homeowners decide to have a professional service do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but as long as you take care of them quickly, no major problems should occur. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident enough doing small repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies in Seattle are more than willing 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. These asphalt pieces help protect your home’s roof. If they start coming 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 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 sometimes 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 hard to place roofing material. It’s the perfect location for leaks on a roof, and it is very easily damaged. If more extensive work is necessary, replacing the flashing is also a simple project 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 lifespan of a roof being between 20 and 30 years, you will probably only have to install a new one once or twice. Of course, if you move often, you might end up buying a lot of roofs in your lifetime.
When buying a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can include the price of a new roof – if necessary – in the closing costs or request that the seller has the roof replaced before the sale. When selling a house, give Seattle Pressure Wash Plus a call for professional roof cleaning in Seattle to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.