Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof lasts around 20 years, depending on storm damage and usual wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials will last longer, but they are also more expensive to install.
The extent and quality of care you give your roof along the way can reduce or increase the time between roof replacements. If you are good about caring for your roof, you could end up only having to replace your roof once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the maintenance it needs.
Roof replacement is very expensive regardless of the type of roof. You’re much better off doing routine maintenance and minor repairs as they arise to help lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing abilities – or just can’t stand the thought of climbing up a tall ladder – you can call a licensed, certified roofer in Charlotte to give you a hand with all of your maintenance and repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is by far the cheapest route to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are some preventative care recommendations for your home’s roof:
Cut branches that hang over your roof. Strong winds and rain can break branches and even knock over trees. Decaying, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they are not regularly pruned. Falling limbs destroy all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and metal roofs.
Install rain gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed on top of your rain gutters to prevent clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning you need to do and help prevent overflow into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning company in Charlotte.
Have routine 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 age such as rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a company can let you know if there’s an issue that should be handled.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish the oils from 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 applying these coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and possibly be in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation system are in excellent condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation can cause trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors in your home. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will ruin wood and other home 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 in a timely manner, you’ll help prevent leaks and lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these things at least once every 12 months 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 instantly renew the curb appeal. PRO Charlotte Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Charlotte as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your rain gutters often, especially while it’s raining, to observe if there are any clogs that should be removed. Most gutter experts recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it means that your roof is too shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots can attach to shingles and other types of materials and damage them if it isn’t eliminated fast enough. Typically homeowners choose to have a professional service do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages will happen, but so long as you tend to them right away, no serious problems should result. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident enough doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Charlotte are more than willing 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 removed from the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain storms. These asphalt pieces help protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will start to look worn, but, more importantly, it won’t protect what’s underneath. Only a 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 need to be replaced. The fascia can leak, letting mold and mildew into your home, let alone pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in gaps on the roof where it is impossible to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is required, replacing the flashing is also an easy task for professionals and proficient homeowners as well.
YOUR ROOF NEEDS LOVE TOO!
The roof is typically the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifetime of a roof being around 20 and 30 years, you will likely only need to install a new one one or two times. Of course, if you move frequently, you could end up replacing quite a few roofs in 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 home seller has the roof replaced before the sale. When selling a home, give PRO Charlotte Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Charlotte to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.