Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof will last around 20 years, more or less depending on damage and usual wear and tear. Other roofing materials can last longer, but they are also more expensive to install.
The amount and level of care you give your roof can reduce or increase the time between new roof replacements. If you are lucky, you could end up only having to install a new roof on your home once in your lifetime, just so long as you give it the maintenance it requires.
Installing a new roof is very expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re better off doing routine maintenance and small repairs as needed to help lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing skills – or just don’t like the thought of climbing up a tall ladder – you can always call a licensed, certified roofer in Johns Creek to give you a hand with all of your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing things to prevent roof damage before it happens is by far the most affordable way to increase the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a few preventative care ideas for your home’s roof:
Cut tree limbs that hang over your roof. Strong winds and rain can break tree limbs and even push over whole trees. Rotting, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they are not routinely pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install rain gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed on top of your rain gutters to prevent clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that you have to do and help prevent rain flowing into your landscaping. You can install gutter guards on your own or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Johns Creek.
Schedule regular inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after a couple of years, and metal roofs will be dented or begin to show signs of age such as rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a roofing pro can let you know if there’s an issue that has to be resolved.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish the oils from shingles so they don’t dry out, helping your roof last 5 years or more beyond its expected lifetime. There are regular and plant-based products so you can feel safe about spraying these products on your home, where they will inevitably run off and possibly be in contact with your children, pets and landscaping.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation system are in good condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation can cause trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as odors throughout your house. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other home materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Here and there, you’ll want to do some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll help prevent leaks and increase the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these chores at least once a year to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests building nests on your home’s roof, and it will freshen up the curb appeal. Johns Creek Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Johns Creek as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters often, especially while it’s raining, to see if there are clogs that have to be cleared. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it likely means that your roof is shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots will attach to shingles and other materials and ruin them if it isn’t eliminated quickly. Many homeowners choose to have a professional service do this so no damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but so long as you tend to them right away, no major problems should occur. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident enough doing small repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies in Johns Creek are trained to complete these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in optimal condition.
Replace damaged or worn shingles. Shingles have asphalt bits attached to them. The texture can be knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain storms. These asphalt pieces help protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will begin 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 also have to be replaced. The fascia can leak, allowing mold and mildew into your home, and sometimes pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in gaps on the roof where it is hard to place roofing material. It’s the perfect location for leaks on a roof, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is needed, replacing the flashing is also a simple project for professionals and proficient homeowners as well.
YOUR ROOF NEEDS LOVE TOO!
The roof is one of the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifetime of a roof being between 20 and 30 years, you will likely only have to replace it one or two times. Of course, if you move often, you could end up installing quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When buying a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can also include the price of a new roof – if necessary – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller has the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a house, give Johns Creek Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Johns Creek to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.