Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof lasts 20-25 years, more or less depending on storm damage and usual wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials will 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 are lucky, you might end up only having to replace your roof on your home once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the care it needs.
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 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 thought of climbing up a tall ladder – you can always find a licensed, certified roofer in Inglewood to give you a hand with all your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing things to prevent most roof damage before it happens is by far the most affordable way to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a few preventative care measures for your home’s roof:
Cut tree branches that hang over your roof. Strong winds and rain storms can break tree branches and even push over trees. Decaying, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they are not regularly 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 reduce clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that you have to do and help prevent overflow into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning company in Inglewood.
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 regular inspections done by a roofing company can 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, helping 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 coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and possibly be in contact with your children, pets and lawn.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation systems are in excellent condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation can cause trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors in your home. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Here and there, 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 lengthen 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 limit the risk of pests building nests on your home’s roof, and it will immediately renew the appearance of your home. Inglewood Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Inglewood as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that have to be cleared. 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 fast enough. Most homeowners decide to have a professional do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but so long as you tend to them quickly, no major issues should occur. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident enough doing small repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies in Inglewood are trained 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 strong rain storms. These asphalt chunks help 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 small section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is only 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 need to be replaced. The fascia can leak, allowing 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 difficult to place roofing material. It’s the perfect location for leaks on a roof, and it is easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, replacing the flashing is an easy task for professionals 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 have to install a new one one or two times. Of course, if you move several times, you might end up buying a lot of roofs during 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 one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the seller has the roof replaced prior to the sale. When selling a home, give Inglewood Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Inglewood to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.