Why do you get your oil changed, rotate your tires, or get check-ups on your vehicle? Do you change the filter or get your heating/cooling serviceman out for an annual check-up on your furnace? Why do we do these things regularly? The answer is for routine and preventative maintenance. We all like to prevent a problem before it occurs, right?
This same principle applies to the roof of your house. Over one million dollars a year is spent on replacing roofs, when simple routine maintenance would have extended the life of the roof. Algae is one example of a roof issue that regular maintenance can prevent. If you notice dark spots on your roof, you may have algae. More than 75% of roofs have algae present, especially in warm and damp climates. Often, algae has been confused for sap, soot or rust. If algae staining is the only issue, you can get it professionally cleaned and it will extend the life of your roof by many years!
Here is a list of routine preventative maintenance to extend the life of your roof:
- Keep your roof and gutters free of debris. When coming home from getting your oil changed in your car just take a glance up towards your roof. If you notice some trees, shrubs, leaves, and debris, take an hour out of your day and clean it off. It’s better to only spend one hour of your weekend up on your roof verses all day. If you wait to do it once a year, you will be spending all of your Saturday doing it.
- Trim back any overhanging tree branches.
- Before heading up to clean off your roof, take a pair of binoculars and do a thorough inspection of any broken or missing shingles.
- With the help of a flashlight, inspect the wood decking under the shingles for any water stains.
- If you see signs of leaking, don’t wait to get it repaired. The longer you wait the sooner you will need to replace your roof.
Here are a few roofing safety tips:
- When using a ladder always make sure to have it on a level and sturdy surface.
- Have a spotter! The spotter will hold the ladder and make sure you get on the roof safely.
- Before getting on the roof you should make sure to have the spot cleaned off. If the surface is wet or full of debris, you have a greater chance of slipping.
- Check the weather before cleaning or doing maintenance on your roof.
Don’t have time or energy to do preventative maintenance on your roof? Save yourself the headache of roof maintenance and hire a professional! A local construction or roofing company has all of the tools and proper gear to work on your roof. Philippi Quality Construction is a local and experienced company that can help you with roof maintenance to ensure it lives a long life and does not need premature replacing.