Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof will last around 20 years, depending on storm damage and wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials will last longer, but they are also more expensive to install.
The extent and quality of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or increase the time between new roof replacements. If you are lucky, 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 expensive no matter the type of roof you have. You’re a lot better off in the long run doing routine maintenance and minor repairs as they arise to extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing skills – or just can’t stand the idea of climbing up a ladder – you can always hire a licensed, certified roofer in Lewisville to give you a hand with all your maintenance and roof repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing things to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is the cheapest way to increase 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. High winds and rain storms can break tree branches and even push over trees. Decaying, dying trees will also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they’re not routinely pruned. Falling limbs destroy all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed on top of your gutters to reduce clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning you need to do and prevent overflow into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Lewisville.
Have regular inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after only a few years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of age like rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a roofing company will 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 options so you can feel safe about putting these coatings 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 prime condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation will cause 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 eat away at wood and other materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Here and there, you’ll want to do some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done in a timely manner, you’ll prevent leaks and increase the lifespan 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 nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will reduce the risk of pests building nests on your home’s roof, and it will instantly freshen up the curb appeal. XTeam Lewisville Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Lewisville as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to observe if there are any clogs that need to be cleared. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it probably means that your roof is too shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots attach to roof shingles and other types of materials and damage them if it isn’t removed quickly. Most homeowners prefer to have a professional service do this so no unnecessary 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 capable handyman, you might feel confident enough doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Lewisville are more than willing 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 heavy rain. These asphalt pieces help to protect your home’s roof. If they start coming off, the roof will look worn, but, more importantly, it won’t protect what’s below. Only a section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is only superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the part of your home’s roof that sits 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, let alone 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 perfect location for leaks, and it is easily damaged. If more complicated work is required, replacing the flashing is also a simple 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 lifespan of a roof being between 20 and 30 years, you will probably only need to replace it once or twice. Of course, if you move several times, you might end up installing a lot of roofs during your lifetime.
When buying a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can include the price of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the seller have the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a house, give XTeam Lewisville Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Lewisville to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.