Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The standard shingle roof will last 20-25 years, more or less depending on storm damage and 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 good about caring for your roof, you might 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’re a lot better off doing maintenance and minor repairs as they arise to help lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing skills – or just hate the thought of climbing a tall ladder – you can always hire a licensed, certified roofer in Vancouver to help you with all your maintenance and repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is the most affordable route to increase the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a couple of preventative care measures for your home’s roof:
Cut tree branches hanging over your roof. High winds and rain can break tree branches and even knock over trees. Rotting, dying trees will also drop their heavy branches onto your roof if they’re not regularly pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install rain gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed over your rain gutters to prevent clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that you need to do and help prevent rain flowing into your yard. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning company in Vancouver.
Have regular inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after a few years, and metal roofs will be dented or begin to show signs of age such as rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a roofing company will let you know if there’s a problem 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 putting these products on your home, where they will run off and possibly come in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation system are in good condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation will lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly lead to mold and mildew growth, as well as odors in your house. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will wreak havoc on wood and other home materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll have to do some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done in a timely manner, you’ll help prevent leaks and increase the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these things at least once every 12 months 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 building nests on your home’s roof, and it will renew the appearance of your home. PRO Vancouver Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Vancouver as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that have to be cleared. Most pros 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 shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots will attach to shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Most homeowners opt to have a professional do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but so long as you take care of them quickly, no major issues should result. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident enough doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies in Vancouver are trained 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 knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain. These asphalt pieces help to protect your home’s roof. If they start coming off, the roof will begin to look worn, but, more importantly, it won’t protect what’s below. Only a small section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the part of your home’s 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 sometimes leak, letting mold and mildew into your home, plus pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in the gaps on the roof where it is impossible 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 required, replacing the flashing is also an easy project for roofers and proficient homeowners as well.
YOUR ROOF NEEDS LOVE TOO!
The roof is often 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 might end up replacing a lot of roofs in 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 home seller has the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a house, give PRO Vancouver Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Vancouver to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.