Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof will last around 20-25 years, depending on storm damage and 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 can shorten or extend the time between new roof replacements. If you are lucky, you could end up only having to install a new roof on your home once in your lifetime, just so long as you give it the care it needs.
Roof replacement is expensive regardless of 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 home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing abilities – or just hate the thought of climbing a tall ladder – you can always find a licensed, certified roofer in Arlington to give you a hand with all of your maintenance and repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent roof damage before it occurs is the cheapest route to increase the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a few preventative care ideas for your home’s roof:
Cut tree branches hanging over your roof. High winds and rain storms can break tree branches and even knock over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they’re not routinely pruned. Falling limbs destroy all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install rain gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed over your rain gutters to reduce clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning you have to do and help prevent rain flowing into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning company in Arlington.
Schedule routine inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after only a few years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of aging such as rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a roofing pro can let you know if there’s a problem that needs to be handled.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish the oils from 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 spraying these products on your home, where they will run off and come in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation systems are in prime condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation problem. Lack of ventilation can cause trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors in your house. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other home materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Every once in a while, you’ll have to do some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll help prevent leaks and increase 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 nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove debris, mold and dirt. This will reduce the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your home’s roof, and it will immediately renew the appearance of your home. AllClean Arlington Pressure Wash offers roof cleaning in Arlington as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters regularly, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that need to be cleared. Most gutter experts recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it probably means that your roof is shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots attach to shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t removed quickly. Many homeowners prefer to have a professional do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but so long as you tend to them quickly, no serious issues should result. If you are a handyman, you may feel confident doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies in Arlington are certified 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 knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain. These asphalt pieces help protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will look worn, but, more importantly, it won’t protect what’s below. Only a small section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is only 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 leak, letting mold and mildew into your home, and sometimes pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in gaps on the roof where it is hard to place roofing material. It’s the perfect location for leaks on a roof, and it is easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, 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 probably only have to replace it one or two times. Of course, if you move frequently, you could end up replacing a lot of roofs during your lifetime.
When buying a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can also include the cost of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller have the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a house, give AllClean Arlington Pressure Wash a call for professional roof cleaning in Arlington to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.