How To Extend the Lifespan of Your Roof ?
A roof that lasts a lifetime begins with quality materials and professional workmanship. But to increase roof lifespan and to avoid expensive repair costs, damage, and general wear and tear, all homeowners need to know the vital ways to keep their roofs clean, insulated, ventilated, and protected, now and for years to come.
In this blog, we will take a closer look at a number of important things you can do that will not only improve the longevity of your roof but also protect and even improve the efficiency of your home overall.
What can damage your roof?
- Climate: With extremes from the scorching sun to occasional snowfall
- Big storms
- Strong winds
- Tree debris
- Dirt, dust, algae, moss, lichen, and other debris
-
Take care of your utters
Cleaning your rainwater system is not only for aesthetic purposes, it can also save your home from serious water damage.
If you live in a house surrounded by trees, organic matter such as leaves, twigs, and even nesting materials left behind by birds, these can build up creating areas of standing water and gutter dams. This could damage the structure of your gutter and even cause water to leak into your home.
The best way to improve your existing gutters is to remove debris during peak times like fall or nesting season, while monitoring, identifying, and removing blockages when you see them. But if you’re interested in real rooftop longevity, we suggest installing stainless steel, zinc, or copper gutter.
2. Trim surrounding trees
If you need a quick way to protect your roof, trim overhanging branches or leafy branches. This will prevent debris from directly hitting your roof, reducing the amount of cleanup required while protecting your home as much as possible from potential storm damage.
Trimming trees will also limit the buildup of moss and moisture under the canopies that provide shade.
Identify small-scale damage early
As homeowners, we often shy away from getting on our roofs for a detailed inspection, but as long as it’s done safely, it can identify small problems before they become big problems.
Keep an eye out for broken or missing shingles, damaged shingles, warped or split lead flashing, crumbling brick, or even small rotted and weak areas. All of these could become a costly concern if left unattended.
If you are unable to do any repair work or reseal yourself, contact a roofing professional to avoid long-term problems in the future.
4. Improve Attic Insulation
In uninsulated homes, a staggering 25% of heat loss occurs through the roof, but did you know that proper attic insulation can prevent heat and moisture damage?
A surprising amount of roof damage actually starts in your attic. Since poorly insulated spaces are susceptible to increased heat buildup this can damage shingles and cause moisture and mold to form.
5. Inspect the roof after storms
After a storm, especially one with heavy rain or wind, you’ll want to inspect your roof.
Take a walk around your property and scan the roof for broken shingles, debris buildup, or noticeable pooling.
This is also a good time to make sure your gutters are working properly too. You’ll want to get rid of any debris as soon as practicable and carefully. If you can’t do this, contact a roofing company for expert removal.
Improve airflow
Extreme temperatures in the peak of summer and the depths of winter can also cause problems that will affect longevity unless proper ventilation and airflow methods have been installed.
Poorly ventilated roofs can cause attics to overheat massively in good weather, which can lead to heat damage to roof shingles, weakening of shingles, and moisture problems. This can also damage valuable items stored in the loft space.
An overheated attic space can also increase the risk of ice damming in cold conditions, where an ice shelf forms on the edge of the roof and prevents melted snow and ice from draining effectively. This can cause internal damage to the roof and home.
Schedule Annual Roof Inspections
Once a year, it’s a good idea to have expert eyes on your roof. An annual inspection not only saves you money down the road, it also helps extend the life of your roof.
A roofing expert will inspect it for any problems: bubbles, blisters, slipped shingles, debris buildup, and water damage. They will also be able to spot hidden problem areas that could lead to bigger problems or even roof failure.
While a homeowner can keep an eye on their roof, they must hire a roofing service for an inspection. Even the most meticulous homeowners can crack a tile if they step on the wrong spot or injure themselves. As always, we ask that you exercise caution and discretion when climbing onto your roof.
8. Keep your roof clean
Cleaning away moss, dirt, and grime will prevent your roof from slowly disintegrating and deteriorating over time. But there is one right way and many wrong ways to do it.
The use of pressure washers is, for the most part, something to be avoided, as the chance of flooding your home, as well as damaging the shingles and roof, is very great. When in doubt, always consult a professional roof cleaning company whenever you don’t know what you’re doing.
However, you can try to remove the moss yourself with a simple homemade solution. Pour a gallon of water into a bucket, add 450g of salt, a tablespoon of vinegar, and a little soap.
Using a garden sprayer, apply the solution evenly over your roof and wait a couple of days before rinsing with water and raking off the moss. Repeat if and when necessary.
One advantage of using a homemade solution is that it contains fewer harsh chemicals compared to the generic store-bought alternative. It could cause toxic runoff onto your yard.
Looking for annual or semi-annual preventative maintenance where roof problems are caught early, so they don’t turn into costly repairs?
A roof inspected and repaired by our experts at 12 Roofing is an investment in the life of your roof and your home. Get roofing estimates from 12 Roofing.
