You might think of your roof as a way to add to your house’s curb appeal, but a well maintained roofing system helps do more than just that. Your roof acts as your frontline defense system that helps keep adverse weather conditions at bay, thereby securing you from the wrath of harsh weather while maintaining a comfortable internal temperature of your homes.
Your roofing system can continue doing so for many years, as long as it receives the appropriate care and sustenance. The day you start neglecting your roof, its condition shall deteriorate and its position as your house’s primary defense system shall be compromised. All you need to do in order to ensure that such a situation never arises, is to follow these 5 roof maintenance tips we have listed below for you.
Thoroughly inspect your roof 3-4 times every year
Do not take your roof’s optimal condition for granted and make it a habit to thoroughly inspect your roof visually for faulty areas. While it is always recommended to have a professional roof inspection carried out at least once in a year, you can do so on your own as well simply by following these pro tips.
Make a checklist and examine your roof, the area around the skylight as well as your chimneys for the following potential faults:
- Missing shingles or tiles.
- Loose, curled, cracked or buckling shingles or tiles which can potentially fall off and decrease the strength and bonding of the rest of the roofing system.
- Damaged or missing flashing which can cause the roof runoff to flow down your house’s wall and cause damage.
- Ice dams on roofs especially during winters.
- Debris buildup on your roof.
Clean your gutters regularly or install gutter guards
It is extremely important for your roof to maintain a directed flow of the rainwater, from your ceiling down to the downspout which leads it away from your house’s exterior. This prevents the water from accumulating on your roof or leaking into your property’s walls.
An inability to maintain routine cleanups of your roof’s gutters can cause a lot of damage. Gutters can clog from all the debris and fallen leaves, causing the water to pool up on the surface of the roof. This pooling water can then cause cracks and subsequent leaks within your roof that damages the interior of your home as well.
So, make sure you clean your roof gutters regularly and secure the gutter bolts tightly. If you can’t do this often, then install gutter guards which can prevent the debris from accumulating in the gutters. Call up a professional gutter cleanup service to gain even better results.
Ensure adequate ventilation for your roof
It is common knowledge that the warm air within your house rises towards the roof. If this warm air finds no vents on the top, it will condense and the resulting moisture will collect within your roof’s structural elements. Eventually, your roofing material will begin to rot and grow mold, causing your roof’s defense to grow weak.
All you need to do in order to prevent such a thing from happening is to ensure that you roof has an appropriate number of vents installed to allow the warm air to flush out. Moreover, you will also need to clean the vents time and again, of debris and fallen leaves because a blocked vent is similar to having no vent at all.
Prevent moss or algae growth
While ensuring that a number of your roof vents are optimally working, can remove one reason for the buildup of moisture within your roof, the growth of algae and moss can still take place for a number of other reasons. For instance, in countries with humid climates, roofs are particularly prone to suffer from moss or algae growth and need appropriate care. If left untreated, this plant-like growth can weaken your roof’s structural integrity and damage its strength.
A regular roof inspection can help you identify the growth of moss and algae. What you should do is scoop off the moss gently from your roof and then spray the entire roof with a mixture of water and a professionally approved moss and algae cleaner. Alternatively, it is recommended to call in some roofing experts who can help better with their professional techniques to remove the unwanted growth.
Cut the tree branches that hang above your roof
While the branches hanging just above your roof, providing their much needed shade to our house, look and feel absolutely heartwarming, they can however pose a deadly threat to your house. The same branches have the potential to fall on your roof and damage your roofing material. It is often the cracks and damages to shingles caused by the tree branches that leads to leaks and interior destruction of your property. Similarly, these branches are one of the greatest sources of debris and fallen leaves or twigs, the accumulation of which ultimately clogs your roof gutters or causes the roofing materials to rot.
What you can do however is hire a professional tree service to trim or prune these overhanging branches a safe distance away from your roof, so that the tree continues to provide its much needed shade while your roof remains protected.
Because we know how the roof repairs and roof replacements can end up costing us a fortune, we should therefore try our best to maintain our roof in its optimal condition. As long as you follow these tips, you can rest assured that your roof will stay safe above your head and its longevity is guaranteed.