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Tips to Maintain Your Roof

roof maintenance

The standard shingle roof will last 20 years, more or less depending on storm damage and usual 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 along the way can reduce or lengthen the time between new roof replacements. If you are good about caring for your roof, you might end up only having to install a new roof once in your lifetime, as 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 much better off in the long run doing maintenance and minor repairs as they arise in order to extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.

If you aren’t confident in your roofing skills – or just can’t stand the idea of climbing up a ladder – you can always call a licensed, certified roofer to give you a hand with all your maintenance and roof repair needs.

PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE

Doing projects to prevent roof damage before it occurs is by far the cheapest way to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a few preventative care ideas for your home’s roof:

Cut limbs hanging over your roof. Gusting winds and rain can break limbs and even push over trees. Rotting, dying trees can also drop their branches onto your roof if they are not regularly pruned. Falling limbs destroy all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and metal roofs.

Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed over your gutters to prevent clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning that you need to do and prevent rain flowing into your yard. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning service.

Schedule regular inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or begin to show signs of age such as rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a pro can let you know if there’s a problem 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 lifetime. There are regular and plant-based options so you can feel safe about putting these coatings on your home, where they will run off and come in contact with your children, pets and lawn.

Make sure your insulation and ventilation systems are in good condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation can result in trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as odors inside of your home. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other materials, weakening your home’s structure.

ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE

Every once in a while, you’ll want to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done in a timely manner, you’ll prevent leaks and lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made of.

Do these projects at least once a year 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 building nests on your home’s roof, and it will immediately freshen up the appearance of your home. Pomona Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Pomona as one of our services.

Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your gutters regularly, especially while it’s raining, to see if there are clogs that need to be removed. Most pros 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 too shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots will attach to roof shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t removed quickly. Typically homeowners decide to have a professional do this so no damage is done in the process.

MINOR ROOF REPAIRS

Damages happen, but as long as you tend to them right away, no major problems should occur. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers 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 removed from the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain. These asphalt chunks help protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will start 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 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 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 easily damaged. If more complicated 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 often the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifetime of a roof being around 20 and 30 years, you will likely only need to replace it once or twice. Of course, if you move often, you might end up buying a lot of roofs during your lifetime.

When purchasing 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 request that the seller has the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a home, give Pomona Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Pomona to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.

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