Routine maintenance is critical for your roof’s longevity and protecting your home’s interior from the elements. Proper roof maintenance includes regular inspection, professional cleaning, repair, gutter maintenance and care of other roofing components. This comprehensive guide unpacks the vital aspects of what roof maintenance is and what roof maintenance includes.
Roofing Maintenance Inspections
The first step in roof maintenance service is inspection. You can do regular ground inspections to catch any apparent roof damage, like missing shingles. However, professional roofers should do a comprehensive assessment at least once a year because they can find potential problems you might miss on your own. Regular inspections maximize your chances of catching issues fast.
What Expert Roof Inspections Include
Expert roofing inspectors can do a thorough review of your roof:
- Ground checks: First up is inspections of your roof from ground level. Roofers check for visible wear and tear to the roof’s drainage system and components, like shingles.
- Roof checks: Next up is the roof inspection. Expert roofers check from the top for corrosion, leaks and mold growth. Inspectors check flashings and sealants also.
- Interior checks: A final vital step is checking your home’s and attic’s interior for damage. Inspectors can look for signs of water damage, wood rot, pests, structural deterioration and adequate ventilation.
Roof Cleaning
Routinely cleaning your roof is another essential roof care component. Regular cleaning can extend the life of your roof, prevent leaks and catch problems early. Your roof should be professionally cleaned once a year with intensive washdowns every three to five years. There are several methods to clean your roof.
1. Soft Washing
Soft washing includes using low-pressure methods and cleaning agents to clean the surface of your roof and rid it of corrosive organic matter, like mold and mildew.
2. Pressure Washing
Professional pressure washing services lift dirt, mold and algae from your roof’s surface, making the top look clean. Power washing can cause damage if done incorrectly, so always hire experts.
3. Manual Cleaning
Your roof can be manually scraped and cleaned by hand, removing moss and algae.
Roofing Repairs
A minor leak may cause extensive damage over time. Proper maintenance of your roof requires fixing issues fast. Typical roof repairs address:
- Sagging
- Leaks
- Curling or buckling shingles
- Missing shingles
- Damaged or missing flashing
- Attic ventilation problems
- Ice dams or pooling water
- Roof rot
- Thermal shrinkage
Signs Your Roof Needs Repair
Some indications are visible and others may require a trained eye. Roof repair signs can include:
- Roof sagging: If a section of your roof dips, your attic ventilation system may need repairing. Secondary damage to components may require fixing too.
- Broken or missing shingles: Shingles aren’t just cosmetic. They are vital roofing components. Missing, broken or buckled shingles are signs you need roof repair.
- Water stains: Stains on your ceiling, siding and walls can indicate roof leakage, which requires repair to stop further damage, like mold growth.
- Organic growth: Leaks and pooling water are ideal for mold and mildew growth. Mold is sometimes visible through stains and often has a musty smell. Any organic growth requires repair.
- Gutter damage: If your gutters aren’t working efficiently, they may need fixing.
- Flashing deterioration: Missing flashing, corroded sealants, chipped paint, rust and other surface damage indicate the need for repair.
Gutter Maintenance
Cleaning and maintaining your gutters may help you avoid major repairs. It’s best to schedule gutter cleaning after spring and fall to prevent blockages, pooling or ice damming.
Keeping your gutter debris-free alleviates strain on your roof drainage systems, allowing water to move away as it should. Blocked drains may lead to:
- Leaks
- Cracked wall foundations
- Siding and roof moisture damage
Protect your roof and residence by ensuring water drains as should and consider installing gutter guards to minimize clogging.
Signs That Gutter Cleaning May Be Necessary
Your gutter controls and channels rainwater — clogged gutters can cause pest infestations and water buildup that may cause roof damage. Signs that your gutter needs work:
- Overflowing rainwater: Gutters should direct water away from your roof, to protect the siding and underlayment. Clogged gutters are unable to channel rainwater and may overflow.
- Sagging: Debris can accumulate and cause your gutters to pull away and hang. Water logging weakens and weighs down your gutter further, worsening the sagging.
- Damming: Visible pooling of water or ice dams may be signs your gutter requires cleaning and that water is pooling near your home’s foundation.
- Staining: Streaks along the siding can signal that your gutters are malfunctioning.
- Pest nests: Blocked gutters attract birds, insects and pests like rats. Debris, compressed leaves and twigs make perfect nesting environments.
Other Considerations
Proper roof maintenance requires going beyond routine care. In an attempt to increase the life span of your roof and protect your property from damage, consider:
- Additional post storm inspections: Outside of routine professional inspections, have inspectors look at your roof after storms. Many reputable roofing companies do complimentary checks as part of their service offering.
- Maintaining roof accessories: Skylights should be checked for leaks and resealed. Leaks often stem from these roof accessories. Solar panels are another element to be checked to ensure the surrounding roof structure is sound.
- Setting up a roofing routine: It’s easy to lose track of time — keep logs and set reminders when your roof inspection, cleaning and gutter maintenance are due. Make a habit of walking the perimeter of your property especially after storms to check your roof.
Protect Your Roof With Routine Maintenance
Roof maintenance can save you long-term repair and replacement costs. Sticking to a routine maintenance and repair schedule may increase your roof’s working life and protect your residence from the elements. To ensure you give your roof the necessary care, schedule inspections, clean your roof regularly, don’t wait on repairs, maintain your gutters and remember your roofing accessories.
Consider partnering with professional roofers to ensure your roof is in the best condition possible. Roofers are certified, trained and have extensive knowledge to inspect, repair and keep on top of your maintenance schedule.
To learn more about roof maintenance, contact Equity Builders Roofing. We have over 35 years of experience, provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and are licensed and insured roofers.