Every single year, plenty of homeowners all around the globe have to replace their roofs. And that’s something we all deal with at some point or another, but did you know how essential roof maintenance is? If you perform this at regular intervals, you can prolong the lifespan of your roof immensely. With that in mind, we’ve decided to put together some of the essential guidelines for homeowners who are interested in roof maintenance!
Checking Shingles
The question most people have when it comes to any home renovation project is — where to begin? Or in this case, how do you perform roof maintenance? The most important thing to do in this regard is to perform regular checkups, at intervals that are as regular as possible. This is particularly true for areas that are susceptible to heavy winds or frequent storms.
We don’t recommend constantly climbing up a set of ladders, as that can be dangerous — especially if you think you’re a bit clumsy. Instead, you can always take a set of basic binoculars and see if there are problems from afar.
While checking your roof shingles, watch out for those that are cracked, curling, or missing. If you notice something like that, you should get that checked out by a professional as soon as possible.
Asking Professionals
Many people believe that they can perform roof inspections and even roof maintenance by themselves. But bear in mind that you probably don’t have all of the tools or skills that the process requires. In fact, there are numerous tools that you’d need, and if you believe that you can pull this off on your own, you should also know that a green option is possible when it comes to storage
Still, we definitely recommend contacting experts, both for inspection and for maintenance. First, these are trained professionals; they’re probably going to spot a damaged roof even if you can’t, and when the difference is less noticeable. Also, they could give you some long term tips for roof maintenance. Plus, a seasoned roof inspector can provide you with a rough estimate of how long a particular roof will last you.
If you ask professional roofers, they’ll tell you that a checkup is due every couple of years, though doing it every year will make you safer and more secure. The expenses for these inspections vary, but they rarely go above $1,000. It’s a significantly lower cost than completely replacing your home’s roof because you didn’t check up on it in a timely fashion. With that in mind, we recommend finding a reputable inspector in your area.
Leakage
You don’t just spot a roof in need of maintenance on account of its exterior. In reality, there are all sorts of other signs that you should patch up your roof. One of the most common ones is water stains. If you spot these somewhere in your household, that means one thing — you’ve got to check for water damage upstairs and see where the roof is leaking.
You can spot a water leak by a hazy odor in nearby rooms, as well as spots and water stains on the exterior and interior walls. Once you find any of these, make sure you call a professional to precisely locate the water leak and patch everything up.
Washing
Many people don’t realize just how vital washing is when it comes to roof maintenance, particularly among the things you can do independently. Once you find that your roof has begun looking dirty, definitely do something about it. Over time, an unwashed roof can be the breeding ground for all sorts of debris and algae. While the latter doesn’t result in any direct damage right away, the humidity it causes will make your shingles rot over time.
Use a mixture of bleach and water to spritz the rooftop and kill all of the remaining algae. Besides that, we recommend putting in some copper strips below the peak of your roof. During rainy days, the copper molecules will come down with the rain and destroy any other algae that might appear.
Gutter Cleaning
This is one of those chores we all hate but know to be necessary — cleaning gutters. There can’t be roof maintenance without it. And even though it’s one of the dirtier tasks on this list, we can definitely tell you that it’s essential.
If you avoid doing this — as many people do, to their detriment — you’ll find that water begins seeping into your house beneath the roof’s structure, causing all of the leaks that we’ve mentioned above. Indeed, every homeowner should know not to avoid gutter cleaning. Do it at least twice a year, preferably in fall and spring.
Trimming Branches
You probably know this, but branches of the above trees can create certain problems for your household. Severe weather can cause them to fall on your house and ultimately damage the roof beyond repair. That’s why we recommend cutting down any particularly big branches that go over your roof while landscaping.
Chimney Fixes
If you’ve got a chimney, make sure to take a look at it once in a while and check for missing mortar or any other cracks. This is nothing to sneeze at, as even the smallest structural damage can mean stray bricks falling on your shingles and severely damaging your roof. Not to mention the possibility of the entire chimney collapsing if you’re not careful and don’t perform maintenance on time. If there are cracks in the mortar, that’s something you can take care of yourself if you’re handy with DIY projects, though we still recommend contacting a contractor.