Tips to Maintain Your Roof

The typical shingle roof will last around 20-25 years, depending on damage and natural wear and tear. Other roofing materials last longer, but are also more expensive to install.

The amount and quality of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or increase the time between roof replacements. If you are lucky, you could end up only having to install a new roof once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the attention it needs.

Installing a new roof is expensive regardless of the type of roof you have. You’re much better off in the long run doing routine maintenance and minor repairs as they arise in order to extend the lifetime of your roof.

If you are not confident in your roofing abilities – or just can’t stand the idea of climbing up a ladder – you can always find a licensed, certified roofer in Quincy to help you with all of your maintenance and roof repair needs.

PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE

Doing projects to prevent roof damage before it happens is the cheapest way to lengthen the lifetime of your roof. Here are some preventative care recommendations for your roof:

Cut tree limbs hanging over your roof. Gusting winds and rain can break tree limbs and even push over trees. Decaying, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches onto your roof if they’re not routinely pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and 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 need to do and prevent overflow into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Quincy.

Have regular inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of aging such as rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a pro can let you know if there’s a problem that should be handled.

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 coatings on your home, where they will inevitably run off and 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 result in mold and mildew growth, as well as odors in your house. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will wreak havoc on wood and other materials, damaging your home’s structure.

ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE

Here and there, you’ll need to do some general maintenance on your roof. If this is done in a timely manner, you’ll prevent leaks and lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made of.

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 renew the curb appeal. Quincy Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Quincy as one of our services.

Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your rain gutters regularly, especially while it’s raining, to observe if there are clogs that need to be cleared. Most companies 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 will attach to roof shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t removed quickly. Typically homeowners prefer 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 occur. If you are a handyman, you may feel confident doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Quincy are able 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 storms. These asphalt pieces help protect your roof. If they start to come off, the roof will look worn, but, most importantly, it won’t protect what’s underneath. Only a small section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is superficial.

Replace fascia. Occasionally, the part of your roof that rests between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will also have to be replaced. The fascia can leak, allowing mold and mildew into your home, plus pests.

Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in the gaps on the roof where it is hard to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks, and it is easily damaged. If more extensive work is needed, replacing the flashing is also a simple project for roofers 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 between 20 and 30 years, you will probably only need to replace it one or two times. Of course, if you move several times, you could end up buying a lot of roofs during your lifetime.

When buying a new house, 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 house, give Quincy Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Quincy to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.