Having a stable and sturdy roof protects the house and family inside from the ever-changing weather, and, ultimately, a strong roof helps them remain safe. Roofs are so strong that they can easily last for a couple of decades. But roofs won’t remain sturdy and strong if you are not keeping them well-maintained.
Roofs work efficiently day and night to protect the house, and they are facing some sort of damage every day. The shingles might get cracked or blown off, or the flashing could get damaged. If the damages keep increasing, one day the roof could collapse!
It is always recommended by expert roofing contractors to get the roof inspected and maintained regularly. With regular roof inspection and maintenance, you can significantly improve the health of the roof and make it last longer.
Here are some important tips which you can use to ensure that your roof is well-maintained throughout the year.
#1 Regularly Trim Overgrown Tree Branches:
Trees are beautiful, but you won’t like it when tree branches cause damage to your roof. During storms, branches may cause severe damage to the shingles and even the underlying layer of the roof. Besides that, branches can also break the gutter system. It’s so important to make sure any branches near your roof get trimmed or cut regularly so they don’t interfere with your house!
#2 Keep The Roof Clean:
Roofs can easily get cluttered with dust, dirt, bird droppings, critters, dried leaves, and small branches. Within a month’s time, you could see that your roof is covered with such undesirable things. If you are not getting the roof cleaned regularly, the debris can destroy shingles and clog up your gutters.
#3 Inspect The Condition Of The Shingles:
Due to strong winds and ever-changing weather, the quality of the shingles will deteriorate. The granules start falling off and the shingles start developing cracks. Through these cracks, water and moisture can easily reach the roof’s underlying structure and cause damage to it. If the shingles are not replaced or repaired immediately, then there’s a threat to the structural integrity of the roof. Besides, water that gets inside the roof structure can destroy the insulation, ceiling, and/or walls of the house.
#4 Keep The Gutters Clean:
The gutters play a vital role in collecting all the water from the roof and directing it to the downspouts. This process helps keep the roof dry and clean. But sometimes the gutter gets jammed with debris and shingle granules. If the debris is not cleaned regularly, it blocks the flow of water and increases the burden on the gutters. Gutters may develop cracks. Blocked water will overflow and create a mess. Moreover, during winters, the blocked water can convert into ice dams and cause extensive damage to the gutter… and even to the adjacent walls.
#5 Inspect The Attic Region:
Along with keeping the roof well-maintained, you must also get the attic region of the house inspected. If you can visibly notice daylight coming inside, then that signals that you need to get the roof repaired. Cracks indicate that there are some leaks– look for dampness around a specific region. Don’t let your insulation get ruined.
#6 Monitor The Growth Of Moss And Algae:
There is another reason to keep the roof and gutters clean… The debris that remains on the roof or in the gutter becomes the best place for moss and algae to breed. Moss and algae have the potential to destroy the quality of your shingles, and this will eventually lead to the problem of water leaks.
Summary:
Most people ignore their roof. However, you don’t want to do that! It’s important to maintain your roof so that it lasts a long time and does what it’s supposed to do. There are some things you can do to take good care of your roof. Besides keeping it clean, it’s a good idea to have yearly inspections and get repairs/maintenance work done as needed.
