6 Ways to Maintain and Extend the Life of Your Roof

Your roofing structure protects your home from harsh elements such as cold weather, strong winds, heavy rains, etc. Maintaining your roof will play a vital role in ensuring your home does not suffer from these harsh weather elements. It will also preserve the curb appeal of your property.

Roofs are a costly investment with many ornamental and security purposes. Though it serves numerous roles, buying and installing a roof is not cheap. It would be helpful to save the cost of installing a new roof in your home by adhering to the best maintenance ideas to improve your roofing’s lifespan. There are several easy and affordable roof maintenance tips to extend your roofing’s lifespan and protect it from suffering premature damage.

Maintain Your Roof with these Tips and Extend its Life

whether your roof is older and almost reaching its expected lifespan or is only a few days old, it’s vital to ensure to adhere to the best roofing care and maintenance tips to make it last for as long as possible. Though adhering to routine roofing maintenance can seem costly and time-consuming, it can save you the most bucks. Several tips can help you maintain your roof’s good shape, prolong its lifespan, and avoid spending your money to replace it prematurely.

1. Inspecting Your Roofing Structure Yearly

It can be difficult to identify most roofing problems from the ground. Please don’t ignore your roof until it starts to leak or develop other issues so that you can perform an inspection on it. Adhering to a routine annual inspection is crucial in ensuring your roof can serve you for the longest time possible. If you find it difficult to get on top of your roof, consider hiring a roofing expert to help you with the inspection exercise.

2. Taking Care of the Gutters

Cleaning your gutters will keep pests and leaves from making your roofing structure look unkempt and shabby. Regularly cleaning your gutters will also save your property from suffering severe water damage. When the debris and leaves pile up in your rain gutters, they can cause a pool of standing water to develop in the roof over time. The water can eventually leak into your home, creating issues.

You can prevent debris and leaves from entering your gutters with the help of a gutter brush guard. When you place the brush to fit end-to-end on your drain, it can defect debris such as leaves that can wind up in your rain gutter. That will prevent debris and leaves from falling into your ditch while ensuring rainwater flows smoothly.

3. Preventing Ice Dams

Ice dams can melt and cause significant damage to your roof. Your attic should have enough insulation to prevent water from freezing on your roofing structure and creating ice dams. During winter, clear snow from your roof with a rake to avoid the formation of ice dams in the roofing structure.

4. Trimming Your Trees

The branches of trees around your home should not hang over your roofing structure. They can act as an entry point for rodents and pests to access your roofing and cause significant damage by making homes or gnawing in the shingles.

5. Cleaning Debris, Mildew, and Algae

Much like your windows and siding, your roof requires a routine cleaning also. Clearing debris such as sticks and leaves from the top of your roof will help prevent mildew and algae from growing. You can also adhere to a routine power washing of your roof to prevent mold and moss from growing on the structure.

6. Checking for Proper Ventilation

Ensuring you have vents that work well is crucial in prolonging your roof’s life. Inspect your attic to determine if your exhaust and intake vents are functioning correctly. Ensure also that your attic has the proper insulation and ventilation.

Start Maintaining Your Roofing Structure to Prolong its Life

Your roof is among the most vital elements of your home. It protects you, your loved ones, and your belongings from the harsh weather elements. It will help if you ensure to regularly take care of your roofing structure to serve you for years, if not decades, with minimal repairs. You can hire an expert to perform some of the roofing maintenance tasks you find difficult to accomplish by yourself.

Guest Contributor: Tracie Johnson