Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof will last around 20-25 years, depending on damage and usual wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials will last longer, but are more expensive to install.
The extent and level of care you give your roof can reduce or increase the time between new roof replacements. If you play your cards right, you could end up only having to install a new roof on your home once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the care it requires.
Roof replacement is expensive no matter the type of roof you have. You’re better off doing maintenance and small repairs as needed in order to extend 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 a tall ladder – you can call a licensed, certified roofer in Laguna Niguel to give you a hand with all your maintenance and roof repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing tasks to prevent roof damage before it occurs is by far the cheapest route to increase the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a few preventative care recommendations for your home’s roof:
Cut tree branches that hang over your roof. Gusting winds and rain can break tree branches and even knock over trees. Decaying, dying trees will also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they are not regularly pruned. Falling limbs destroy all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and metal roofs.
Install rain gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers installed over your rain gutters to prevent clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that you have to do and prevent overflow into your yard. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning company in Laguna Niguel.
Schedule regular inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after only a couple of years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of age like rust or tarnish. Having inspections done by a roofing pro will let you know if there’s a problem that needs to be handled.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings renew the oils from roof shingles so they don’t dry out, making your roof last 5 years or more beyond its expected lifetime. There are regular and plant-based options so you can feel safe about applying these coatings on your home, where they will run off and possibly be in contact with your children, pets and lawn.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation system are in prime condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation will cause trapped moisture. This can quickly lead to mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors throughout your home. Besides being annoying, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other home materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll want to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll prevent leaks and increase the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the type.
Do these things at least once every 12 months to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking good:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your home’s roof, and it will immediately freshen up the curb appeal. Laguna Niguel Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Laguna Niguel as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your rain gutters regularly, especially if it’s raining, to observe if there are clogs that need to be cleared. Most pros recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring months and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it probably means that your roof is too shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots can attach to roof shingles and other types of materials and ruin them if it isn’t removed quickly. Most homeowners opt 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 quickly, no serious problems should result. If you are a capable handyman, you might feel confident enough doing small roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofing companies in Laguna Niguel are certified to tackle these fast fixes for you to keep your roof in good shape.
Replace damaged or worn shingles. Shingles have asphalt pieces attached to them. The texture can be knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain storms. These asphalt chunks help protect your home’s roof. If they start coming off, the roof will 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 only superficial.
Replace fascia. Sometimes, the section of your home’s roof that rests between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will have to be replaced. The fascia can leak, allowing mold and mildew into your home, let alone pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in the gaps on the roof where it is impossible to place roofing material. It’s the most common location for leaks on a roof, and it is easily damaged. If more extensive work is necessary, replacing the flashing is an easy project for professionals and proficient homeowners as well.
YOUR ROOF NEEDS LOVE TOO!
The roof is typically the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifetime of a roof being around 20 and 30 years, you will likely only have to replace it one or two times. Of course, if you move frequently, you could end up installing quite a few roofs during your lifetime.
When purchasing a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can also include the price of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or request that the home seller has the roof replaced before the sale. When selling a home, give Laguna Niguel Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Laguna Niguel to improve curb appeal for interested buyers.