Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof will last around 20 years, more or less depending on storm damage and usual wear and tear. Other roofing materials can last longer, but they are more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof can reduce or extend the time between roof replacements. If you play your cards right, you could end up only having to replace your roof once in your lifetime, just as long as you give it the care it needs.
Roof replacement is very expensive regardless of the type of roof. You’re a lot better off doing maintenance and minor repairs as needed in order to help lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing abilities – or just hate the thought of climbing a tall ladder – you can always hire a licensed, certified roofer in Louisville to give you a hand with all your maintenance and roof repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is by far the most affordable way to increase the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a couple of preventative care ideas for your home’s roof:
Cut branches hanging over your roof. Gusting winds and rain storms can break branches and even push over whole 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 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 that you have to do and help prevent rain flowing into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Louisville.
Have regular inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after a few years, and metal roofs can get dented or begin to show signs of age like rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a pro will let you know if there’s a problem that should be repaired.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish the oils from roof shingles so they don’t dry out, helping 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 inevitably run off and possibly be in contact with your children, pets and lawn.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation system 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 lead to mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors in your home. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Here and there, you’ll want to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done in a timely manner, you’ll help prevent leaks and increase the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made of.
Do these chores at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking good:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will reduce the risk of pests building nests on your home’s roof, and it will instantly freshen up the curb appeal. Louisville Pressure Wash Plus offers roof cleaning in Louisville as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your rain gutters regularly, especially while it’s raining, to observe if there are any clogs that should be removed. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it probably means that your roof is too shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots can attach to roof shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Typically homeowners opt 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 tend to them right away, no serious problems should occur. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident enough doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies in Louisville are more than willing 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 knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain. These asphalt chunks help protect your home’s roof. If they start coming off, the roof will begin to look worn, but, more importantly, it won’t protect what’s below. Only a section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is superficial.
Replace fascia. Occasionally, the section of your home’s roof that sits between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will need to be replaced. The fascia can sometimes 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 most common location for leaks on a roof, and it is very easily damaged. If more extensive work is necessary, replacing the flashing is an easy 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 between 20 and 30 years, you will probably only have to install a new one once or twice. Of course, if you move often, you could end up buying a lot of roofs during your lifetime.
When buying a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can also include the price of a new roof – if necessary – in the closing costs or ask that the seller have the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a home, give Louisville Pressure Wash Plus a call for professional roof cleaning in Louisville to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.