Four Steps To Better Roofing Maintenance

Posted on: 3 November 2020

For most people, the biggest investment and ever making their entire lives is their home. For that reason, making sure that your roof is in tip-top shape is vital to protecting that investment and ensuring that it stays intact for years to come.

But while some roofing jobs need to be performed by professionals using specialized equipment, there are several steps you can take to provide your own roofing maintenance in between service calls. Below are four major steps that you can take to keep your roof looking pristine and operating efficiently year-round.

Clean Your Gutters

You may not realize it, but gutters are one of the biggest problem areas for roofs. Unless you have a protector of some kind on top of your gutter, debris can filter in and clog up the exit pipe that leads from your gutter down to the ground. Over time, this clog will create standing water on the area directly next to your roof, and may even damage the substructure underneath it. To prevent this from happening, climb up on a ladder and dig out the clogs in the gutters around your house every few months, and at least one time in late fall.

Check Your Shingles

Asphalt shingles are some of the most common roofing materials on the market today, comprising nearly 80% of homes in America. They're chosen precisely because they're inexpensive to install and easy to maintain; fortunately, they don't last forever. The average lifespan of an asphalt roof is anywhere from 15 to 20 years, but the individual shingles can curl or warp before that. Having them replaced regularly is one of the best ways to do your own roofing maintenance and ensure that no leaks or holes develop in your roof.

Watch for Leaks

It can be really hard to determine if a water leak is in your home until it's too late. Even a tiny hole in your roof can lead to major water damage over time, so it's important to patch any holes you do find as soon as possible. While you shouldn't climb up on your roof for safety reasons, you should get up in your attic every so often and turn the lights off and check for any strands of light. If you see anything coming through your roof, that means you have a hole that needs to be fixed immediately.

Report Any Sagging

Low points on your roof are dead giveaways that the entire area is about to collapse. When that happens, you'll have a skylight appearing in your living room that will allow the elements into your home unimpeded. Proper roof maintenance involves reporting any major issues that you can't take care of as a homeowner to your local roofing company to be fixed before they develop into major issues, and this is one of the biggest. Report it immediately. 

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