Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof lasts around 20 years, depending on damage and usual wear and tear. Other roofing materials last longer, but they are also more expensive to install.
The extent and level of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or extend the time between new 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, as long as you give it the maintenance it needs.
Roof replacement is expensive regardless of the type of roof you have. You’re much better off 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 skills – or just can’t stand the thought of climbing up a tall ladder – you can find a licensed, certified roofer in Sandy Springs to give you a hand with all of your maintenance and roof repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is the cheapest way to increase 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. Gusting winds and rain can break tree branches and even knock over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees will also drop their branches onto your roof if they are not pruned. Falling limbs destroy all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed on top of your gutters to reduce clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning that you have 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 Sandy Springs.
Schedule regular inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after a few years, and metal roofs can get dented or start 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 has to 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 spraying these coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and come in contact with your children, pets and lawn.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation system are in good condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation will cause trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors inside of your house. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will wreak havoc on wood and other home materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Every once in a while, you’ll have to do some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll help prevent leaks and increase the lifespan of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these projects at least once every 12 months to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking good:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will reduce the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your home’s roof, and it will instantly renew the curb appeal. Sandy Springs Pressure WashCo. offers roof cleaning in Sandy Springs as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your gutters often, especially while it’s raining, to observe if there are clogs that should be cleared. Most pros recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it probably means that your roof is too shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots can attach to roof shingles and other materials and damage them if it isn’t gotten rid of quickly. Typically homeowners choose to have a professional do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but as long as you tend to them right away, no serious problems should result. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies in Sandy Springs are able 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 protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will begin to look worn, but, more 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 rests between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will also 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 gaps on the roof where it is hard to place roofing material. It’s the perfect location for leaks, and it is 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 often the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifespan of a roof being around 20 and 30 years, you will likely only have to install a new one one or two times. Of course, if you move often, you might end up buying quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When purchasing a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can also include the cost of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller has the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a house, give Sandy Springs Pressure WashCo. a call for professional roof cleaning in Sandy Springs to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.