Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof lasts 20 years, depending on storm damage and natural wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials will last longer, but they are also 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 are good about maintaining your roof, you might 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.
Installing a new roof is very expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re better off in the long run doing maintenance and minor repairs as needed to help extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing abilities – or just don’t like the idea of climbing up a ladder – you can find a licensed, certified roofer in Columbia to help you with all of your maintenance and repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent most roof damage before it happens is by far the cheapest way to extend the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a few preventative care ideas for your home’s roof:
Cut tree branches hanging over your roof. Powerful winds and rain storms can break tree branches and even push over trees. Decaying, dying trees will also drop their branches right onto your roof if they’re not routinely pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install rain gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed on top of your rain gutters to reduce clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning that you need to do and help prevent rain flowing into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Columbia.
Schedule regular inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after only a few years, and metal roofs will be dented or begin to show signs of aging like rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a roofing company will let you know if there’s an issue that needs to be taken care of.
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 spraying these products on your home, where they will inevitably run off and be 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 result in trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors inside of your home. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will eat away at 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 home’s roof. If this is done in a timely manner, you’ll help prevent leaks and extend the lifespan of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made of.
Do these projects 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 reduce the risk of pests building nests on your home’s roof, and it will immediately freshen up the curb appeal. Columbia Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Columbia as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your rain gutters often, especially while it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that have to be removed. Most pros recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring 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 eliminated quickly. Many homeowners opt to have a professional service do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages will happen, but as long as you tend to them quickly, no serious problems should occur. If you are a handyman, you may feel confident enough doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies in Columbia are certified 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 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 below. Only a section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is only superficial.
Replace fascia. Occasionally, the part 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, and sometimes pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in the gaps on the roof where it is impossible to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks on a roof, and it is very easily damaged. If more extensive work is needed, 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 need to replace it one or two times. Of course, if you move often, you might end up buying a lot of 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 ask that the seller have the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a home, give Columbia Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Columbia to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.