Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The average shingle roof will last 20-25 years, more or less depending on storm damage and wear and tear. Other roofing materials will last longer, but are more expensive to install.
The amount and quality of care you give your roof along the way can reduce or lengthen the time between roof replacements. If you are lucky, you might end up only having to replace your roof once in your lifetime, so long as you give it the care it requires.
Installing a new roof is expensive no matter the type of roof you have. You’re better off doing routine maintenance and minor repairs as they arise to help lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you aren’t confident in your roofing skills – or just hate the idea of climbing up a ladder – you can call a licensed, certified roofer in Portland to give you a hand with all your maintenance and roof repair projects.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent most roof damage before it occurs is by far the cheapest way to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a couple of preventative care ideas for your home’s roof:
Cut tree limbs that hang over your roof. Powerful winds and rain can break tree limbs and even push over trees. Decaying, dying trees can also drop their heavy branches right onto your roof if they’re not pruned. Falling limbs damage all types of roofs, including asphalt shingles and even metal roofs.
Install gutter guards. Gutter guards are metal or mesh covers that can be installed over your gutters to reduce clogging. They can reduce the amount of gutter cleaning you have to do and help prevent rain flowing into your yard. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the job to a roofer or gutter cleaning service in Portland.
Schedule routine inspections. Shingles begin to lose asphalt granules after only a couple of years, and metal roofs will be dented or begin to show signs of age like rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a roofing pro can let you know if there’s an issue that should be taken care of.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish 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 spraying these products on your home, where they will run off and possibly come in contact with your children, pets and lawn.
Ensure your insulation and ventilation systems are in prime condition. Too much or not enough insulation can create a condensation issue. Limited ventilation can lead to trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as odors inside of your home. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other materials, weakening your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
From time to time, you’ll need to complete some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done regularly, you’ll help prevent leaks and lengthen 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 good:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof will remove debris, mold and dirt. This will reduce the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your home’s roof, and it will freshen up the appearance of your home. PRO Portland Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in Portland as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your gutters regularly, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are clogs that have to be removed. Most gutter experts recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall.
Remove moss. If moss begins to grow, it means that your roof is shaded and stays very moist. Moss’s roots will attach to roof shingles and other materials and damage them if it isn’t removed fast enough. Many homeowners prefer to have a professional service do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages happen, but so long as you tend to them right away, no major issues should result. If you are a handyman, you might feel confident doing minor roof repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in Portland are more than willing to tackle 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 removed from the shingles by debris, hail or strong rain storms. These asphalt chunks help to protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will start to look worn, but, more importantly, it won’t protect what’s below. Only a section needs to be re-shingled if the damage is only superficial.
Replace fascia. Occasionally, 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, and sometimes pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in the 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 easily damaged. If more extensive work is needed, replacing the flashing is a simple task for roofers 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 install a new one once or twice. Of course, if you move frequently, you might end up installing a lot of roofs during your lifetime.
When purchasing a new home, a roof inspection is definitely worth your time. You can include the price of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or request that the seller has the roof replaced before the sale. When trying to sell a home, give PRO Portland Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in Portland to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.