Seven Useful Tips On How to Care For Your Roof

Roof Maintenance Tips

Having a roof over our heads is not something we should take for granted. Every year, millions of roofs get replaced due to wear and tear from braving through bad weather conditions or simply because they have reached their expiry date. Just like every other equipment or appliance in the house, the roof needs maintenance checks from time to time to ensure it’s in good working condition to brave through storms. Eventually, there will come a time for every homeowner to replace their roof, but here are seven tips to care for your shingle roof to extend its lifespan. If you’d like to have your roof replaced, head on over to https://hi-5roofing.com/.

#1 Schedule Regular Checks

To start off, it’s as simple as using a pair of binoculars to do a quick visual scan for any signs of wear and tear. Missing shingles, broken shingles, bent shingles, missing granules, and peeling roof flashing are all red flags indicating that you should schedule for roof maintenance as soon as possible. It is best to engage a professional roof expert to assess the severity of the situation and get a contractor to fix them before they get worse, leading up to more complicated issues.

#2 Engage in Professional Services

The cost for professional roof inspections varies from $250 to $650. But why pay the extra cost when you could do this yourself? Firstly, an expert will be able to point out possible issues that you might not have been aware of. Secondly, they can give you a rough estimate of the remaining life span of your roof before it should be replaced. Roof inspectors from reputable organizations like The American Society of Home Inspectors and the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors can be trusted in providing you with an honest and fair service because they are forbidden from making under-the-table offers.

Many experts recommend having your roof inspected every two years, but checking and maintaining your roof annually will significantly increase your chances of fixing any damages before it gets too late.

#3 Check for Leaks in Attics and Ceilings

Water stains in your house is another telltale sign that your roof requires maintenance. Observe your ceilings and attic for signs of water leaks so that you can take action in the prevention of any major damage to your house’s interior and exterior from taking place. Some of the usual indications of a water leak include stale-smelling rooms, watermarks on the ceiling, blotches on your out-facing walls, and protruding bubble spots on your in-facing walls. Should you observe any of these, call for an expert to mend your leaking roof.

#4 Clean the Roof

A seemingly basic act of washing your shingle roof from time to time plays a critical role in the maintenance routine. Accumulation of dust and dirt and moisture on your roof will encourage the growth of algae, leaving dark and dirty stain marks trailing down from the peak to the edge. Not only is it visually unappealing, but it is also damaging to your roof.

Installing strips of copper on the peak of your roof will help deter the growth of algae. However, if your shingles are already streaked with them, wash your roof with a 50-50 ratio mixture of water and bleach. With a little scrubbing, the algae should be gone in no time.

#5 Clear the Gutters

It is fundamental and extremely important to clean your roof gutter regularly to prevent it from clogging up. Many professionals have advised clearing the gutter at least biannually, especially during late spring and early autumn when lots of leaves and flowers may get trapped and pile up in the gutter. When water is unable to flow through the gutter, it will seep into the roof, causing water damage to the infrastructure.

#6 Manage the Landscape

Managing the landscape surrounding your house is essential because, in times of strong winds or heavy rain, large, overhanging tree branches may pose a threat to your roof by falling on top of it. At the same time, it also encourages fallen leaves to collect on the roof, trapping moisture which gives way for rotting to occur when left unattended for a prolonged period of time. It is recommended to trim the trees around you to maintain a neat and safe environment.

#7 Patch up the Chimney

At this point, it should not come as a surprise to you that maintaining your roof isn’t just limited to the roof itself, but also other parts of your house that may affect the overall condition of your roof. The chimney is another aspect that should be part of your maintenance checklist because loose or falling bricks could do damage to the shingles besides resulting in a fallen chimney. Once again, it’s best to call for a roofing expert to fix your chimney just in case the root cause of the damage was due to a complex situation with the house’s foundation, but otherwise, you could do it yourself too.

Replacing your Roof

If a roofing expert assesses your roof and concludes that it is due time for a roof replacement, you ought to look for a reliable contractor. You could start by searching online and read the reviews written about the potential contractors for hire before engaging in their services.

After settling for a contractor, it is vital that you read and comprehend every aspect of the contract prior to signing it. After all, the roof shields all your entire property and valuables contained in it, and taking the roof off a house is not a small operation. You might wish to get a legal representative to look over the document just to be safe.

Conclusion

If you only have one takeaway from this article, remember that having routine checks and maintenance go a long way in saving you that extra and potential hefty expense of major repair works as well as getting your roof replaced sooner than you actually need to. Now that you’re equipped with the relevant knowledge on how you should care for your roof, find yourself a pair of binoculars and you’re ready to begin your roof maintenance work!