Having a roof above your head is a great feeling. Knowing that you’re shielded from the elements. But over time your roof will degrade and will eventually have to be replaced. This could take from fifteen to twenty five years of keeping your head dry. Yes, you heard that right. Up to thirty years. That’s nearly a fourth of a normal person’s lifetime but for it to ever reach that age, you’re going to need to know how to extend your roof’s lifetime.
Frequent Maintenance
Keeping your roof maintained is one of the first steps to be taken whenever you want your roof to reach its maximum lifespan. Here are a few things to look out for whenever you conduct your regular maintenance.
- Make sure that leak prone areas are properly taken care of before a leak gets out of hand and punches a hole straight through to your living room.
- Check for missing shingles or roof panels and have them replaced as soon as possible.
- Inspect your gutters and downspouts and fix any blockages, leaks or reattach them if they are loose to prevent them from falling off of your roof.
Keep Plant Life Off
Plants might be great for the look of your roof but is not exactly the best for its longevity. So it’s best to keep plants as far away as possible from your roof way to extend the life of your roof. There are certain plants that you should be aware of whenever you go on your roof for an inspection. These include moss, algae, and large trees.
Leaves from large trees will end up in your gutter and clog the waterway. This will keep water in your gutters and subsequently your roof. Water staying on your roof for extended periods of time will lead to your roof slowly being corroded over time. The leaves and water also serve as fertilizer for moss and algae to grow on your roof.
Moss and algae will slowly corrode your roof until it becomes unable to hold back water. These fungi dig their roots into your roof and will eventually make small holes in your roof. Individually these holes might not be large enough for leaks to show up but it does mean that even when these fungi are removed, water will still end up pooling on your roof. This makes it easier for them to grow back and also leads to your roof to being more susceptible to leaks.
Branches from nearby trees can scrape away bits and pieces off of your roof. They could even end up dropping on top of your roof in harsh weather. This could heavily damage your roof or worse, cause your roof to collapse.
Clean Your Roof
Cleaning your roof is no simple task. Cleaning your roof doesn’t mean you just go up there with a broom and sweep everything away. You need to be well prepared to get up there with the right tools and knowledge to do it properly.
Before cleaning your roof you should be aware of what you need to clean out by performing an inspection during your regular maintenance sessions. Moss and algae require a mixture of water and bleach to clean out. Leaves and other blockages should be cleaned out of your gutters and downspouts so that they can divert water away from your home.
Get a Professional Inspection
Bringing in a professional to help extend the lifetime of your roof is an option you can consider when taking your roof’s lifetime into account. Professionals have the experience to find and fix any issues before they can become a major problem. You can also ask them for advice on how to handle any maintenance or repairs so that you can keep your roof problem free yourself if you can’t afford to call them in again or if you need to repair your roof in an emergency.
