5 Roof Maintenance Tips For Homeowners
As a homeowner, part of your primary responsibility is taking care of your roof. Your roof is among the most critical aspects of your house.
Regardless of your roof type, it protects you and your entire household from several elements such as the sun’s extreme heat, rain, wind, snow, or hail. It also keeps your house cool in the summer months and warm in the winter.
However, to ensure your roof lasts to its expected functions and life service, you need to keep up with its required maintenance.
Otherwise, your roof will become susceptible to wear and damage, making it incapable of providing comfort and protection to your home. Furthermore, neglecting the required maintenance of your roof could result in expensive roof repairs or entire roof replacement. Hiring a trusted roofing company can sort out your roof maintain related issues. But when to seek professional help? Read it, and the points will be much more precise by the end of the article.
Top 5 Crucial Tips Of Roof Maintenance For Homeowners
So, what should you do to make sure your roof lasts to its expected lifespan and prevent any future damage or repairs?
Here are five roof maintenance tips you must keep in mind to keep your roof properly functioning for a long time.
1. Inspect Shingles Every Season
Every season brings different roofing issues depending on the weather brought by the particular season. For instance, during summer, excessive sun exposure can cause potential damage to your shingles.
Meanwhile, during the cold wintery months or rainy season, you might experience leaks from the roof caused by melting snow. Thus, it’s always recommended to inspect your roof and its shingles every season.
Watch for any signs of wear or damage and note any small issues, including tiny cracks, chipped-off edges, or missing shingles. In case you do find some minor or major roof problems, seek help from a professional roofing company so they can perform a more thorough roof inspection.
You may visit the website or call their contact number to book a schedule for your roof inspection. Once they’ve confirmed any issues, they’ll get to right away before those small problems become worse and irreparable issues.
2. Maintain And Clean Your Gutter System
Your gutters are a big part of your roofing system. They play a crucial role by channeling the water flow from your roof and redirecting it away from your roof and foundation. In short, your gutters are in charge of water management. But to ensure they function effectively and protect your roofs; you need to regularly maintain and clean your gutters.
Check your gutters regularly and remove any sticks, twigs, leaves, and other litter that might be blocking the flow. If there are any trees or branches over your roof and gutters, trim or cut them off to minimize any debris from accumulating in your gutters.
If possible, remove any leaves or debris accumulated on your roof before they get stuck in your gutters. If you can’t remove the leaves by yourself, especially if the roof height is too dangerous for you, you can always call on the help of professional roofers to clean your roof and gutters for you.
part of your primary responsibility is taking care of your roof
3. Trim Trees And Other Vegetation Near Your Roofline
Trees add visual appeal to your property’s landscape. However, when they branch out and grow over your roof, they could cause gutters to clog.
Not only that, but tree branches could severely damage your roof if they break during strong winds and heavy storms. Roof damage caused by falling branches will require expensive roof repairs or, in a worse case, an entire roof replacement.
So, to keep your family and your roof safe from potential damage, trim the trees, branches, and other vegetation that may grow too close to your roofline. Also, watch out for old or dead branches as they’re prone to breakage and falling at any time.
Additionally, vines might sprout and spread over your roof and gutters, as they could also cause clogged gutters.
4. Treat for Moss, Lichen, and Algae Annually
Your roof also affects the overall appeal and aesthetic of your home’s exterior. However, if you let algae, lichen, or moss grow and spread on your roof, they can cause an unsightly appearance to your roof. Furthermore, moss and algae can also lead to extensive roof damage in the long run.
As part of your roof maintenance routine, you can call on professional roofers to help remove the algae, lichen, or moss spreading over your roof.
Then, you can apply products that contain copper and zinc to prevent them from growing back and infesting your roof. You may apply these products over your roof once or twice a year to prohibit anything from growing on your shingles.
5. Replace The Caulk Around Flashings Annually
If your house has exhaust fans, skylights, or chimneys, be aware that they make your roof prone to leaking. A proper roof flashing surrounded by caulk is necessary to cover the crevices and protect your roof against potential water leaks.
Pro Tip: However, to ensure the flashing remains properly installed and functional, inspect the caulk around your flashings every year. See if the caulk is beginning to lift or is missing in any areas. If so, remove the old caulk and replace it with a new bead to close the gaps.
Wrapping Up
Although professional roofers should be the only ones who should handle roof repairs or replacements, it’s up to the homeowners to keep up with their roof maintenance and watch out for any minor roof issues.
Hence, keep these tips in mind and remember to contact your trusted roofing company immediately if you detect any problems that might put your roof at risk of further damage.
Regular roof maintenance will give you peace of mind knowing your roof is fully functional and can continue to protect your house and your family from any outdoor elements.
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