Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof will last 20-25 years, depending on storm damage and natural wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials will last longer, but are more expensive to install.
The extent and level of care you give your roof along the way can shorten or increase the time between new roof replacements. If you are lucky, you could end up only having to replace your roof on your home once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the care it needs.
Roof replacement is very expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re better off doing maintenance and minor repairs as needed in order to help lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing abilities – or just don’t like the idea of climbing up a tall ladder – you can call a licensed, certified roofer in Fort Lauderdale to give you a hand with all of your maintenance and roof repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent most roof damage before it happens is the most affordable way to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a few preventative care tips for your home’s roof:
Cut branches hanging over your roof. Powerful winds and rain can break branches and even knock over trees. Rotting, dying trees will also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they are not regularly pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed on top of your gutters to prevent clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning you need to do and help prevent rain flowing into your yard. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Fort Lauderdale.
Schedule regular inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or begin to show signs of age like rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a pro will let you know if there’s a problem that should be repaired.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish the oils from roof 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 options so you can feel safe about applying these products 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 excellent condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation will lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly cause mold and mildew growth, as well as odors throughout your home. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will ruin wood and other home materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll want to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll help prevent leaks and lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these projects at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking good:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove debris, mold and dirt. This will reduce the risk of pests building nests on your home’s roof, and it will immediately renew the appearance of your home. Fort Lauderdale Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Fort Lauderdale as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Inspect your gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that need to be cleared. Most pros recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it means that your roof is shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots will attach to roof shingles and other types of materials and damage them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Many homeowners choose 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 tend to them quickly, no serious issues should result. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident enough doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Fort Lauderdale are able to complete these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in optimal condition.
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 storms. These asphalt pieces help to protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will start 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 section of your home’s roof that sits between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will have to be replaced. The fascia can leak, letting mold and mildew into your home, let alone 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 extensive work is necessary, replacing the flashing is 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 between 20 and 30 years, you will likely only need to install a new one one or two times. Of course, if you move frequently, you could end up buying quite a few roofs in your lifetime.
When purchasing a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can also include the cost of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller has the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a home, give Fort Lauderdale Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Fort Lauderdale to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.