Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof lasts 20-25 years, depending on storm damage and natural wear and tear. Other roofing materials will last longer, but they are more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or increase the time between new roof replacements. If you are lucky, you might end up only having to replace your roof once in your lifetime, as long as you give it the care it needs.
Installing a new roof is very expensive regardless of the type of roof. You’re better off in the long run doing routine maintenance and small 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 don’t like the thought of climbing up a tall ladder – you can always hire a licensed, certified roofer in Forest Hills Pressure Washing to help you 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 route to extend the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a few preventative care projects for your home’s roof:
Cut branches hanging over your roof. High winds and rain storms can break branches and even knock over trees. Rotting, dying trees will also drop their branches onto your roof if they’re not regularly pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed on top of your gutters to reduce clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning you need to do and prevent rain flowing into your yard. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Forest Hills.
Schedule routine inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after a few years, and metal roofs will be dented or start to show signs of aging like rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a roofing pro will let you know if there’s a problem that needs to be resolved.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings renew 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 applying these coatings on your home, where they will run off and possibly be in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation system are in prime condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation problem. Lack of ventilation will lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors in your home. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Every once in a while, you’ll need to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll prevent leaks and extend the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these projects at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your home’s roof, and it will immediately renew the curb appeal. Forest Hills Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Forest Hills as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are clogs that have to be removed. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it likely means that your roof is shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots can attach to roof shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t eliminated quickly. Many homeowners choose to have a professional do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but as long as you take care of them right away, no serious problems should occur. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident enough doing small roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Forest Hills are able to complete these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in good shape.
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. These asphalt pieces help to protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will begin to look worn, but, most importantly, it won’t protect what’s underneath. Only a small section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the section of your home’s roof that rests between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will have to be replaced. The fascia can sometimes leak, letting mold and mildew into your home, let alone 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 very easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, replacing the flashing is a simple project 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 lifetime of a roof being around 20 and 30 years, you will probably only need to replace it one or two times. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up replacing 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 cost of a new roof – if necessary – in the closing costs or ask that the seller have the roof replaced before the sale. When selling a home, give Forest Hills Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Forest Hills to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.