No one looks forward to spending a lot of money on a new roof. But, roofs only last so long, so if your roof is more than 15 years old, it is going to need more maintenance to last as long as possible. There are roof maintenance tips that help roofs last years longer than neglected roofs. Making the effort to do the roof maintenance and repair yourself or hiring a trusted local roofing company to take care of it is a very cost-effective practice.
Find a Roofing Maintenance and Replacement Company
A good local roofing company can be a homeowner’s best friend after storms and other weather events. Don’t waste your time and risk your roof with fly-by-night roofers offering big bargains as they drive down streets looking for customers. Next week or next month, they will be down the
highway and out of reach. They will use substandard materials and poor workmanship to get your money.
Instead, look for local roofing companies with licenses, credentials, and insurance who will still be in town if problems arise with the roof. Today, it is easy to go online and get a list of local, qualified roofing companies along with ratings and customer reviews. You can also ask neighbors or coworkers who they like for roofing services. Once you find a good roofer, have them examine your roof to get a baseline on its condition and the need for repairs or maintenance.
You Can Make Your Roof Last Longer
You can follow the roofer’s advice on maintenance tips to get more good years from your existing roof. Consider these 9 tips:
1. Every spring, and after every bad storm, inspect your roof carefully for damage. Or, have your roofing professional inspect it. Look for missing shingles as well as loose, curling, or damaged shingles. Look for damaged flashing around chimneys, skylights, vents, or other openings. If you have metal roofing, look for rust and remove it. Replace any damaged or missing shingles right away.
2. Every year, inspect the roof for moss, lichen, algae, and mold and treat the roof to get rid of them before they do more damage. After the roof is cleaned, apply preventative chemicals to keep the contaminants from growing back. A roof that is not cleaned as needed can be subject to rot and other damage.
3. Don’t forget the gutters. They can fill up and cause water to back up under the roof. Good gutters protect the roof by directing water away. Depending on where you live, gutters should be cleaned annually, semi-annually, or quarterly. At least inspect them often to check for leaves
and other debris to remove. The damage caused by neglected gutters and water buildup under roofing shingles can cost thousands of dollars.
4. Between annual checking and cleaning, remove leaves and debris that build up. After storms or when there are overhanging trees, leaves collect in roof valleys, near chimneys, and other places. In one-story houses, owners can use a special roof rake or a long-handled car washing brush to remove the leaves.
5. Avoid all those leaves and twigs by trimming branches of nearby trees away from the roof. There should not be any large tree branches hanging over a roof. The cost of trimming trees is far less than the average cost of repairing a roof damaged by falling branches.
6. Check the caulking around any flashing on the roof and replace it as needed. Flashing can be found by roof vents, chimneys, and skylights.
7. Make sure the home’s attic has good insulation so heat does not cause moisture on the roof in winter to freeze and thaw, causing damage.
8. Protect your roof from UV rays or too much shade and humidity. A professional roofer can help with this.
9. In the winter, prevent ice dams by removing snow after each storm. A roof rake can be used to remove snow within four feet of the gutters. Do not try to remove ice that has formed by chipping it away because that will damage the roofing.
When to Get Professional Help
Homeowner roofing inspections and DIY maintenance tips can only go so far. Some people are afraid of heights or are simply not physically able to climb up on their roofs. These people should have a relationship with a good, trustworthy roofing repair and replacement company. Some people are simply too busy with demanding careers to do roof inspections and maintenance.
It will be well worth the cost to hire professionals for a yearly roof inspection and inspections after bad storms. Well-maintained roofs last years longer than neglected roofs, saving the homeowners thousands of dollars in early roof replacement costs.
When It Is Time To Replace a Roof
Rely on a trusted roofing expert to warn you when your roof is getting toward the end of its useful life. If the roof is more than 15 years old, start planning for a roof replacement. Good roof maintenance can add years to the life of a roof, and more expensive roofing options such as metal, slate, wood shingles, cement, and others can have much longer lifespans depending on how well they are installed and maintained.
When your trusted roofer tells you it is time to think about replacing your roof, start looking for financing, grants, or home improvement loans before replacing the roof becomes an emergency. When you have some time on your side, it’s easier to make better choices without feeling pressured. You can look for bargains on high-quality materials and work with your roofer to schedule the roof replacement for a time when there is less chance of inclement weather.
No one wants a rainstorm during the roof replacement process. Insist that the roof is started and finished in as little time as possible. You do not want your roof open for days between a roofer’s demolition team finishing and the installation team being free. Then, be very clear who will be responsible for hauling away the old roofing and the installation debris. Insist on a written contract that states all the services and pricing for the job. Then, when the new roof is installed, maintain it from the beginning to get the longest life out of it you can.