Replacing a roof is a costly endeavor. Therefore, in order to keep more money in your bank account where it belongs, it is important to know how to take care of your roof in order to extend the life of your roof. While it is inevitable that a roof will eventually need to be replaced, following these 5 tips will be sure to help you postpone this need for many years to come.
Tip #1: Keep the Gutters Clean
Cleaning the gutters on a regular basis will help prevent water overflow from causing damage to your roof. When leaves are allowed to pile up in the gutters, the water can get into the roof sheathing or even the rafters, causing rotting to occur. To prevent this from happening, you should clean your gutters at least once each spring and once each fall.
Tip #2: Wipe Leaves Off of the Roof
In addition to keeping the gutters clean, it is also important to keep the roof itself clear of leaves. If you have a simple roof with little landscaping, leaves may not accumulate on your roof. If you have a more complex roof design or if you have many trees surrounding your house, on the other hand, leaves may pile up fairly regularly. Failure to remove then will trap moisture, which will allow seeds to germinate and possibly take root.
Tip #3: Remove Moss
Moss regular grows on wood or composition shingles, particularly in the Northwest part of the country. Regardless of where you live, an accumulation of moss can cause damage because it traps moisture and leads to rotting. Therefore, if moss has developed on your roof, it is important to remove it as soon as possible. There are many products available on the market to help with the removal of moss. You might also want to consider installing zinc strips on the roof in order to help prevent moss from growing in the first place.
Tip #4: Trim Nearby Trees
If there are trees located near to your house, keeping their branches trimmed back will help prevent leaves, moss and other debris from falling onto or developing on the roof. Trimming back the branches will also help keep squirrels and other creatures off of your roof. Ideally, you shouldn’t have any branches within 10 feet of your roof.
Tip #5: Remove Snow
Removing snow from your roof between storms will help to prevent damaging ice from forming on the roof. While prying ice off of your roof can cause additional damage, removing snow can help prevent the ice from forming while also preventing any leaks from occurring when the snow melts. You can further prevent ice from forming by addressing air leaks or inadequate insulation in the attic, as these two conditions typically contribute largely to the problem.
