How to Extend the Lifespan of your Roof
Your roof is an important part of your home because it keeps you dry during spring storms and warm during the winter. Despite its importance, it is easy to ignore your roof. Many homeowners only pay attention to their roof when they notice a severe problem, such as a leak or storm damage, even though it has a lifespan of fifteen years or more.
Annual roof inspections, on the other hand, can extend the life of your roof by up to a decade! Regular roof maintenance extends the life of your roof and keeps you from having to replace it entirely. Minor issues like nail pops don’t become major problems like mold and rot if they’re treated properly.
To extend the life of your roof, follow these guidelines:
Inspect
Skylights – Examine the seals that surround your skylight. Debris can become caught or wedged around the edge of a skylight, causing the seal to deteriorate. Reapply sealant if your seal is damaged or worn to avoid leaks. Water should not be allowed to penetrate a damaged seal because moisture can cause serious damage to the roof or roof deck.
Flashing – Check the flashing around your vents and chimney. These are the most vulnerable parts of the roof to leaks. Again, effective sealing will keep rain from seeping into your roof and inflicting further damage.
Roofing Material – Make sure your roof’s shingles, shakes, or metal decking aren’t breaking or lifting. If the roofing material is damaged, we recommend that these areas be fixed to prevent further damage to the home’s exterior and inside.
Attic – In the attic, inspect the visible bottom of your roof. Examine the plywood for signs of deterioration or discoloration, which indicate that the roof is leaking. Any watermarks should be examined to find the source of the leak and to repair it before more significant damage occurs.
Clean
Debris – Keeping your roof clear of debris will help it last longer. Debris can trap moisture, causing the roofing material to deteriorate over time. Furthermore, debris may obstruct appropriate water flow off your roof, resulting in damage to adjacent roof regions, gutter overflow, and roof aging.
Algae and Fungus – Roof algae and fungal growth is a typical problem for residents of Northern Virginia and Maryland. Cleaning the roof with a bleach solution will help prevent damage, premature aging, and ugly black streaking.
Gutters – Cleaning your gutters of garbage, leaves, and sticks can ensure that water drainage from your roof is uninterrupted. Rainwater will run over the top of the gutter and onto lower portions of the roof if gutters get full or clogged. Because the roof below was not designed to withstand the increased water flow, the roofing material will wear out and leaks may develop over time.
Remove
Water – Water removal from your roof appears to be a no-brainer for maintaining your roof in good shape for many years. Look for water accumulating on the roof and try to figure out what’s causing it. Standing water is the quickest method to destroy a roof and reduce its lifespan.
Snow – If your house is hit by a severe snowstorm, clearing the snow will help your roof last longer.
Snow cleanup keeps your roof from bending due to increased weight and prevents long-term moisture exposure when the snow melts.
Tree Branches – For two reasons, tree branches that tend to grow over a roof should be removed.
To begin with, removing them will keep them from breaking off and causing damage to your roof during a storm. Second, removing your roof deck will allow it to dry completely between storms. Because tree branches provide shade and hold moisture, the roofing material in these regions will deteriorate much more quickly than a roof that can totally dry out.
The most basic and possibly the simplest thing you can do to protect your roof is to be aware of what’s going on with it, particularly after a storm.
Walking around the perimeter of your home and looking for shingle granules that have chipped off or full shingles that have fallen off the roof can alert you to the fact that your roof needs to be repaired or replaced.
Look up at your roof with binoculars to see if there are any curling shingles or damaged flashing around vents, skylights, and other openings. Tens of thousands of dollars can be spent on a new roof.
Lastly, understand your warranty. Roof warranties are not all made equal. Make sure you understand what is covered and when you should seek expert help. Roof maintenance is essential for extending the life of your roof.
Small roof problems, if ignored, can become a tedious, time-consuming, and costly problem. Regular roof inspections might help you save a lot of money in the long term.
You may rely on the skilled craftsmen for roof repairs and replacements whether you have an asphalt, cedar, or slate roof.
Schedule a free consultation with a roofing specialist if you suspect something is wrong with your roof or if it is 15 years or older.
EcoShield Roofing specializes in roof replacements and repair for metal and shingle roofs. We are a roofing business with all the correct credentials and the required local and state licenses to get your job done right.
We also offer roof repair and gutter installation to ensure that your roof continues to work properly for years to come. To get started on your new roof, schedule a free estimate now!
English