Your roof is the true foundation of your home. If your roof is faulty, you forgo the safety and protection of yourself and everyone else who lives in your home. If your roof is leaking or damaged it makes your house uninhabitable, and that’s why it’s important to take good care of the roof you have. In the last blog, we talked about when the time is right to get your roof replaced, and why it’s important to not wait when it comes to your roof. In this blog, we’ll discuss tips on how to increase the life of your roof and prevent costly repairs.
If your roof is 10 to 15 years old and you see the signs that it’s significantly damaged, you need to bite the bullet and get it replaced. However, if the damage is something that can easily be fixed, you can perform maintenance all on your own. That way, when the time comes to get your roof replaced again (25, 30, 40 years from now) you’ll be ready. The best time to perform roof maintenance is during a warm, dry afternoon. This kind of weather makes the shingles and other parts unlikely to crack or break. Also, make sure not to work on a roof that has moss, or is wet. This will increase the likelihood of you falling or may worsen the damage.
- Begin a routine of general inspection. If you want your roof to last you a long time to come, you should make sure you take a look at it from time to time to make sure that everything looks normal. Before winter time, do a more thorough check to make sure your roof is ready to handle the harsher weather conditions. Some things to look out for are: any appearance of sagging, obvious cracks, torn or missing shingles, damage or loose materials, lots of visible shingle granules, detached gutters and downspouts, a large accumulation of debris, algae growth, and wet spots on the ceiling.
Clean your gutters. When you go about cleaning off your roof and cleaning your gutters, do not clean from the top of your roof. Make sure you’re standing on a ladder and avoiding the top three rungs. The best place to start cleaning is the downspout of the gutter. For large debris, it’s beneficial to use a trowel. For small debris, they can be washed out with a hose. In addition, make sure your drain is clear of clogs.- Get rid of moss. Moss may give you the rustic look you’ve been wanting, but it’s an indication of a serious problem developing. Moss starts as a thin layer between and on the shingles. The most common materials affected by moss are asphalt and wood shingles. After a while, moss lifts the shingles and marks the beginning of rot and structural compromise of your roof.
- Remove leaves. During the fall especially, your roof will get clogged with leaves. Often, your roof will get clogged with leaves on a weekly basis. It’s important, especially in the fall season, to remove the branches on a weekly, or even daily, basis. Even if you install gutter guards, this issue can still be present. Removing leaves can be a hard job, but rewarding. It’s easier if you use a leaf blower, as to not spend too much energy. In order to prevent the leaves from blowing back up to your roof, make sure you’re mulching them in your yard or garden.
- Trim tree branches. Overhanging tree branches pose as a major threat to the health of your roof. One reason is that they give all sorts of wildlife direct access to your home. If an animal wants in to your home through your roof, they can and will make it happen. Keep the animals away by making sure your branches are trimmed and cannot act as a bridge to your roof. Not only this, but tree branches can damage your roof through direct contact. They scratch, add weight onto your roof through leaning branches, not to mention if they happen to break. It’s important to trim your branches at least once a year. While trimming trees, you need to be careful. The safest process is cutting the branches into small sections. This will allow easy and safe removal without putting your roof at risk.
Rock Solid Exteriors is Macomb, Oakland, Wayne, and St. Clair counties’ trusted roofing experts. With over 25 years of experience, we have been voted Michigan’s best roofing company for a reason. Call our roofing contractors today to learn more about our roof replacement services.
