Shingle roof maintenance is essential to ensure the longevity of your roof and preventing any serious damage to your home.
Exposure to the elements such as wind, rain, sun, and poor installation techniques, inconsistent repairs can cause damage your roof. If you’re planning to tackle roof maintenance on your own, we’ve got a few rooftop tips for you. However, we advise that you leave any type of roof maintenance to a roofing professional.
Shingle Roof Maintenance
Here is some maintenance that should be completed on a regular basis to ensure the longevity of your roof.
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Clean Debris
Your roof will collect debris over time such as leaves or branches and perhaps garbage that might have blown onto your roof. This debris can get trapped and cause water to collect – causing damage to your shingles.
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Check Roof Flashings
The strips of sheet metal (aluminum or galvanized steel) that are placed over the joints in the roof are known as flashings. Inspect flashings to ensure that there are no cracks or openings because this is where water damage occurs the most.
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Remove Overgrown Trees
Branches that have grown onto the roof may be creating wear on your roof as they blow in the wind. These branches can scrape the materials of your roof and cause some unnecessary damage, so keep them in check. Also look out for your neighbor’s trees growing over on to your roof.
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Inspect Gutters
Make sure your gutters are clear of any leaves, branches, or dirt. Your water flow will be affected if there are blockages which will affect the condition of your roof. Water should be able to flow off your roof into your rain gutters. Consider installing eaves protectors on your gutters – these are metal, meshed grates that prevent a buildup of debris.
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Inspect Condition of Shingles
Check your roof for any loose shingles – loose shingles should be repaired with roofing cement and damaged or missing shingles should be replaced as soon as possible.
Keep A Record
When your roof is inspected it is important to make a note of anything that may be a potential problem later on. This is a proactive way to prepare yourself should damage appear. If you notice major changes in structure, you will be able to provide your roofing contractor with feedback on the issue at hand and save time and perhaps money in trying to figure out the cause of an issue or the origin. If you plan on selling your house in the near future, providing interested parties with a history of your renovations and fixes will contribute to building a good relationship with the realtor as well as potential buyers because they’re guaranteed to appreciate your effort in maintaining your home and perhaps their future home.
Your roof should be given a full inspection every year so that any issues can get fixed before they become a bigger issue. Contact a residential roofing contractor to have your shingle roof inspected today.
