Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof will last around 20 years, more or less depending on storm damage and usual wear and tear. Other types of 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 shorten or increase the time between roof replacements. If you are good about caring for your roof, 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 very expensive no matter the type of roof you have. You’re better off in the long run doing routine maintenance and minor repairs as needed to help extend the lifetime of your roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing skills – or just hate the thought of climbing up a ladder – you can always call a licensed, certified roofer in Irving to give you a hand with all of your maintenance and roof repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing things to prevent roof damage before it occurs is by far the cheapest way to increase the lifetime of your roof. Here are a couple of preventative care tips for your roof:
Cut tree branches that hang over your roof. High winds and rain can break tree branches and even knock over trees. Decaying, dying trees will also drop their branches right onto your roof if they’re not regularly pruned. Falling limbs destroy all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed over your gutters to prevent clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning you need to do and help prevent overflow into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Irving.
Schedule regular inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after only a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or begin to show signs of aging like rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a roofing pro will let you know if there’s a problem that needs to be taken care of.
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 products 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 systems are in excellent condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation issue. Lack of ventilation will cause 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, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll want to do some general maintenance on your roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll help prevent leaks and increase the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these projects at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your roof looking good:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your roof, and it will renew the curb appeal. Irving Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Irving as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your gutters often, especially while it’s raining, to observe if there are any clogs that need to be cleared. Most pros recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it likely means that your roof is too shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots will attach to roof shingles and other types of materials and damage them if it isn’t eliminated fast enough. Most homeowners choose to have a professional service do this so no unnecessary 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 result. If you are a capable handyman, you may feel confident doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Irving are trained to complete these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in optimal condition.
Replace damaged or worn shingles. Shingles have asphalt bits attached to them. The texture can be removed from the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain storms. These asphalt pieces help protect your roof. If they start coming off, the roof will 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 only superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the part of your 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 hard to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks on a roof, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is required, replacing the flashing is also a simple task 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 install a new one once or twice. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up replacing quite a few 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 one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the seller have the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a home, give Irving Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Irving to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.