Tips to Maintain Your Roof
The typical shingle roof will last around 20-25 years, depending on storm damage and usual wear and tear. Other types of roofing materials last longer, but they are more expensive to install.
The extent and level of care you give your roof can shorten or increase the time between new roof replacements. If you play your cards right, you might end up only having to replace your roof on your home once in your lifetime, just so long as you give it the attention it needs.
Installing a new roof is very expensive no matter the type of roof. You’re better off in the long run doing routine maintenance and minor repairs as they arise to extend the lifetime of your home’s roof.
If you are not confident in your roofing skills – or just don’t like the idea of climbing up a tall ladder – you can hire a licensed, certified roofer in San Mateo to help you with all your maintenance and repair needs.
PREVENTATIVE ROOF CARE
Doing projects to prevent roof damage before it happens is by far the cheapest way to lengthen the lifetime of your home’s roof. Here are a couple of preventative care measures for your home’s roof:
Cut branches that hang over your roof. Powerful winds and rain storms can break branches and even push over trees. Decaying, dying trees will also drop their branches onto your roof if they’re not routinely 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 installed over your gutters to prevent clogging. They can limit the amount of gutter cleaning that you need to do and prevent overflow into your yard. You can install gutter guards yourself or leave the work to a roofer or gutter cleaning company in San Mateo.
Schedule routine inspections. Shingles start to lose asphalt granules after only a few years, and metal roofs can get dented or start to show signs of aging such as rust or tarnish. Having regular inspections done by a roofing pro will let you know if there’s an issue that should be taken care of.
Apply a roof coating. Roof coatings replenish the oils from 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 system are in good condition. Too much or too little insulation can create a condensation problem. Limited ventilation will cause trapped moisture. This can quickly result in mold and mildew growth, as well as musty odors inside of your house. Besides being a nuisance, mold and mildew will eat away at wood and other home materials, damaging your home’s structure.
ROUTINE ROOF MAINTENANCE
Every once in a while, you’ll need to do some general maintenance on your home’s roof. If this is done often enough, you’ll prevent leaks and lengthen the lifetime of your roof, regardless of the materials it’s made from.
Do these things at least once every 12 months to prevent damages and keep your home’s roof looking nice:
Roof cleaning. Cleaning a roof removes debris, mold and dirt. This will limit the risk of pests and rodents building nests on your home’s roof, and it will instantly renew the curb appeal. San Mateo Pressure Washing offers roof cleaning in San Mateo as one of our services.
Gutter cleaning. Cleaning out rain gutters is a necessary part of home ownership. Check your gutters often, especially if it’s raining, to see if there are any clogs that should be cleared. Most companies recommend gutter cleaning once in the spring and again in the fall season.
Remove moss. If moss starts growing, it means that your roof is too shaded and stays relatively moist. Moss’s roots can attach to shingles and other types of materials and damage them if it isn’t gotten rid of fast enough. Many homeowners prefer to have a professional do this so no unnecessary damage is done in the process.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS
Damages will happen, but so long as you take care of them quickly, no serious issues should occur. If you are a capable handyman, you may feel confident enough doing minor repairs yourself. But if not, professional roofers in San Mateo 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 pieces attached to them. The texture can be knocked off the shingles by debris, hail or heavy rain. These asphalt chunks help protect your home’s roof. If they start to come off, the roof will 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. Sometimes, the section of your home’s roof that sits between the roof material and the top of the exterior wall (called the fascia) will have to be replaced. The fascia can sometimes leak, letting mold and mildew into your home, let alone pests.
Re-caulk around the flashings. Flashings fill in gaps on the roof where it is hard to place roofing material. It’s the perfect location for leaks, and it is very easily damaged. If more complicated work is necessary, replacing the flashing is an easy project for roofers and proficient homeowners as well.
YOUR ROOF NEEDS LOVE TOO!
The roof is typically the most expensive home maintenance costs. With the typical lifetime of a roof being around 20 and 30 years, you will likely only need to replace it once or twice. Of course, if you move often, you might end up installing a lot of roofs in your lifetime.
When purchasing a new house, a roof inspection is definitely worth your money. You can include the cost of a new roof – if one is needed – in the closing costs or ask that the home seller have the roof replaced prior to the sale. When trying to sell a house, give San Mateo Pressure Washing a call for professional roof cleaning in San Mateo to improve curb appeal for potential buyers.