Hello World! Welcome Friends! Most roofs will last for decades if installed properly. When we purchased our current house, the first question we asked was how old is the roof? Like everything, over time roofs can become damaged and worn out and will eventually need replacing. They weather storms, hurricanes, snow and ice; so the quality of the roofing materials and workmanship is important to the quality and life of your roof. Knowing the age of our roof tells me that I need to be on top of maintaining the roof so that I can extend its life before the replacement process begins. Greg and I have gathered some tips that we have implemented and want to pass onto our readers.
Inspect
Once a month, take some time on the weekend to inspect your roof. Look for signs of damage, warped or broken shingles or tiles. Greg also sprays the roof with a water hose to look for spots for where water might collect and turn into potential damage. In addition, look along the edges of the roof to locate any bubbling or lifting. We’ve noticed that wasps love to find these little openings and create nests just under the shingle. So, its important if you see any bubbling or lifting along the edge to go ahead and address the issue now rather than later. And, personally I like to have this done because I hate wasps.
Keep trees at a safe distance
My readers will remember that at our previous house I had two magnolia trees cut down that were growing too close to the house and hitting the upstairs windows. Trees can not only damage windows but roofs as well. Leaning branches can scratch or gouge the roof. Falling branches can damage the roof and leaves can collect in the gutter system. It’s best to keep trees and branches at a safe distance from your house and roof to minimize damage.
Clean the gutters and roof
Take care to clean mold or moss off of your roof as they can cause considerable damage. Don’t use a pressure washer to do this task because the pressure of the water may take off the protective layer from the shingles surface. One of our good friends, Richard advised us to use a Moss Remover Solution that you can get at your local hardware store to spray on your roof and then clean the debris off with a broom. In addition to keeping the shingles clean, you need to clean out the gutters and downspouts to keep them clear of leaves and debris. The goal is to have water move off of your roof and out of your gutters quickly. Collecting water or debris is not a friend to your roof or your gutter system.
I hope these tips are helpful. Let me know of any tips that you have on maintaining your roof in the comment section below.
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Toodles,
You could not be more spot on about cleaning your gutters. You can learn a lot about your roof if your gutters are clogged. If you don’t clean out your gutters regularly, then the water/snow has nowhere to go and will pool on your roof and cause water damage. On the other hand if your gutter clogs a lot there is a chance part of your roof is deteriorating and clogging your gutters. So, always remember that your roof and gutter go hand and hand.
By the way, your blog is so beautiful. I could browse all the photos you have up all day. 🙂 Keep it up Kathryn.
I just bought my first home, and I want to take good care of it. So, I liked what you said about how it would be smart to get my roof inspected on a regular basis. That does seem like a good thing for me to be aware of a new homeowner.
The important part of normal home maintenance is to keep your home appearance appealing especially the external part. The outside of your home is continuously exposed to weather and different elements. One part of your house structure that should be considered and in need of proper care is the roof.
The roof is the top place where nobody visits on a frequent basis and to clean the roof is a little difficult because of the risk, so I usually prefer the roof services provider. You wrote such a nice blog, all the information is quite right. Thank you.
My cousin has been thinking about getting better care for his roof so that he can repair his leaks and make sure that it is more durable. Getting some help from a professional to repair it could be really useful for him. I’ll be sure to tell him about how trees can damage the gutter system and break the roof.
Roof maintenance is a must, since your roof is basically your shield against everything the weather might throw at your house. Planning ahead for this will be a good idea, if you want to save money in the long run.
Roof is the important part of our house. Always check and have a roof maintenance. Thank you for sharing, good job.
Thank you for your tips about how windows and roofs can be damaged by trees and they can gouge the rood and should be kept away from the home. My mom has been complaining about how she is trying to sleep and she can hear her oak tree scraping against the top of her room and she would really like to get it fixed. Getting some help from a professional could be really useful and allow her to get a better inspection and repair so that she can prevent a bunch of damage.