Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof lasts 20 years, depending on damage and wear and tear. Other roofing materials last longer, but they are more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or extend the time between roof replacements. If you are good about maintaining your roof, you might end up only having to install a new roof on your home once in your lifetime, as long as you give it the maintenance it requires.
Roof replacement is very expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re much better off in the long run doing maintenance and small repairs as needed in order to extend the lifetime of your roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing abilities – or just can’t stand the thought of climbing up a ladder – you can always call a licensed, certified roofer in League City to help you with all your maintenance and roof repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing things to prevent roof damage before it happens is by far the most affordable route to lengthen the lifetime of your roof. Here are some preventative care tips for your roof:
Cut tree branches that hang over your roof. High winds and rain storms can break tree branches and even push over trees. Decaying, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches onto your roof if they’re not regularly pruned. Falling limbs destroy 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 on top of your rain gutters to prevent clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning you have 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 League City.
Schedule regular inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after a few years, and metal roofs can get dented or begin to show signs of aging like rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a roofing pro can let you know if there’s a problem that needs to be repaired.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings renew the oils from roof 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 products so you can feel safe about spraying these coatings on your home, where they will run off and possibly come in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Make sure your insulation and ventilation systems are in good condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation problem. Lack of ventilation can lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as odors throughout your house. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will ruin wood and other materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll have to do some general maintenance on your roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll prevent leaks and lengthen the lifespan of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these chores at least once every 12 months to prevent damages and keep your roof looking nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests building nests on your roof, and it will immediately freshen up the appearance of your home. LTX League City Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in League City as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters regularly, especially if it’s raining, to observe if there are any clogs that should be removed. Most gutter experts recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it likely means that your roof is shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots will attach to roof shingles and other materials and damage them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Many homeowners prefer to have a professional service do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages will happen, but as long as you take care of them quickly, no major problems should result. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident doing small roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in League City are more than willing to tackle 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 removed from the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain. These asphalt chunks help to protect your roof. If they start coming off, the roof will begin to look worn, but, more importantly, it won’t protect what’s underneath. Only a 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 have to be replaced. The fascia can sometimes leak, letting 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, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, replacing the flashing is an easy task 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 lifespan of a roof being between 20 and 30 years, you will probably only have to replace it once or twice. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up installing quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When purchasing a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can include the price of a new roof – if necessary – in the closing costs or ask that the seller have the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a house, give LTX League City Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in League City to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.