The roof of your home is one of the most important parts of your property. A roof is responsible for protecting all elements underneath it. If you are having issues with the roof, it could lead to leaks and other types of damage that can be very significant. Because of this, you need to make sure that you are properly caring for your roof on a regular basis. There are 6 roof maintenance tips in particular that you should follow to make sure it is in good condition and extend its useful life.
Inspection
The first part of taking care of your roof is understanding the condition that it is actually in today. If you are looking to purchase a new home, you should make sure that you have a full roof inspection completed first. The roof inspection will be able to carefully determine the current condition of the roof, whether it is in need of any past-due repairs, and what the potential repair cost could be. This could give you a good idea as to whether the roof is in good condition or if it will need work immediately.
Heavy Snow
If you live in an area that is prone to big snowstorms, you may want to take extra precautions in the event your area gets a big accumulation. First, you will want to make sure that you have a roof that is designed to handle heavier accumulations of snow. Second, when a big snowstorm comes through, you should try to brush off existing snow to prevent too much from accumulating. Doing this can help to prevent the roof from caving in. However, you need to take precautions to make sure you are safe when doing this. One tip to follow would be to use a snow rake, which is designed to remove snow from a roof.
Manage Trees
One of the biggest issues is that a roof can have is if there are trees that are situated over it. Trees that have branches that sit over your roof pose a variety of different types of risk. This can include the risk of a big branch falling off onto your roof, the risk of squirrels and other animals jumping onto your roof and digging holes, and simply the recurring nature of leaves and other debris falling onto your roof. Because of this, you should do your best to trim all branches that are near the roof of your home. This can help to offset the majority of the risks that a nearby tree poses.
Gutters
Along with the roof, there are a variety of routine maintenance tips that you will have to follow to make sure that your gutters are in good condition. You should have your gutters cleaned at least once or twice per year. If you live in an area with a lot of trees, you may want to have them cleaned even more frequently. This will help to prevent the accumulation of too much debris in your gutters. Also, it would be a good idea to have a leaf guard or critter guard system built on top of the gutters. This will help to prevent larger pieces of debris from getting caught in your gutters and disrupting the water flow.
Follow Up on Damage
If you notice that there is evidence of damage to your roof, you should react quickly. If there has been a major storm that has come through your area and you suddenly noticed that some shingles have fallen off or are loose, you should have the roof inspected immediately as it could be a sign of a bigger problem. Furthermore, you should contact your insurance company to have them send an adjuster to your property. An insurance adjuster will be able to identify whether the damage is due to a one-time event and could be covered by your insurance policy.
Seal Joints and Mortar
While a roof can last for well over 20 years, the flashings and joints around the roof may not last as long. Since these provide valuable protection, you should have them inspected at least every five years. If necessary, you should have them sealed again and properly repaired.
