Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof lasts around 20 years, more or less depending on damage and natural wear and tear. Other roofing materials can last longer, but are more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof can shorten or increase the time between roof replacements. If you are good about caring for your roof, you could end up only having to install a new roof once in your lifetime, just so long as you give it the care it requires.
Installing a new roof is very expensive no matter the type of roof you have. You’re better off in the long run doing maintenance and minor repairs as they arise in order to extend the lifetime of your roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing skills – or just don’t like the idea of climbing a ladder – you can always hire a licensed, certified roofer in Norfolk to give you a hand with all of your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent roof damage before it happens is the most affordable route to increase the lifetime of your roof. Here are a few preventative care measures for your roof:
Cut tree limbs that hang over your roof. Powerful winds and rain can break tree limbs and even knock over trees. Rotting, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches onto your roof if they’re not 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 installed over your gutters to prevent clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning that you need to do and prevent overflow into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Norfolk.
Have routine inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after only a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of aging such as rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a company can let you know if there’s an issue that has to be taken care of.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings renew 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 products so you can feel safe about spraying these coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and possibly come in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation system are in good condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation can lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly lead to mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors inside of your home. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will ruin wood and other home materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Every once in a while, you’ll want to complete some general maintenance on your roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll prevent leaks and increase the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these projects at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your roof looking nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove debris, mold and dirt. This will reduce the risk of pests building nests on your roof, and it will immediately renew the appearance of your home. Norfolk Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Norfolk as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to observe if there are clogs that have to be removed. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it probably means that your roof is shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots will attach to shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Many homeowners opt to have a professional do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages will happen, but so long as you take care of them quickly, no major issues should result. If you are a capable handyman, you may feel confident enough doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Norfolk are trained to tackle these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in good shape.
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 to protect your roof. If they start to come off, the roof will begin to look worn, but, most 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 part of your 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 leak, letting mold and mildew into your home, let alone pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in the gaps on the roof where it is difficult to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, replacing the flashing is 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 several times, you could end up replacing a lot of roofs during your lifetime.
When buying a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can include the price of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller have the roof replaced prior to the sale. When selling a home, give Norfolk Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Norfolk to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.