Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof will last 20-25 years, more or less depending on storm damage and usual wear and tear. Other roofing materials last longer, but are more expensive to install.
The amount and level of care you give your roof can shorten or extend the time between roof replacements. If you play your cards right, you might end up only having to install a new roof on your home once in your lifetime, just as long as you give it the maintenance 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 routine maintenance and small repairs as needed in order to help lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing skills – or just hate the idea of climbing up a ladder – you can always hire a licensed, certified roofer in San Marcos to help you with all your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent roof damage before it occurs is the cheapest route to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a few preventative care recommendations for your home’s roof:
Cut tree branches hanging over your roof. Gusting winds and rain can break tree branches and even push over whole trees. Decaying, dying trees can also drop their branches right onto your roof if they’re not pruned. Falling limbs ruin 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 limit the amount of gutter cleaning that 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 San Marcos.
Have regular inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after a few years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of age like rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a pro can let you know if there’s an issue that needs to be handled.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings renew the oils from shingles so they don’t dry out, helping your roof last 5 years or more beyond its expected lifespan. There are regular and plant-based options so you can feel safe about putting 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 excellent condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation can lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors throughout your home. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will ruin wood and other materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Here and there, you’ll have to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll help prevent leaks and lengthen the lifespan of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these things 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 limit the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your home’s roof, and it will instantly freshen up the curb appeal. San Marcos Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in San Marcos as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are clogs that should be removed. Most gutter experts recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it means that your roof is shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots will attach to shingles and other materials and damage them if it isn’t eliminated fast enough. Typically homeowners prefer to have a professional do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but as long as you tend to them right away, no major issues should occur. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident doing small repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in San Marcos are trained to complete 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 removed from the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain. These asphalt chunks help protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will 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 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 need to be replaced. The fascia can sometimes leak, allowing 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 needed, replacing the flashing is 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 lifespan 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 often, you might end up installing quite a few roofs in your lifetime.
When buying a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can include the cost of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or request that the seller have the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a home, give San Marcos Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in San Marcos to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.