Homeownership comes with a lot of responsibilities and many things to maintain. The roof is something we can be inclined to forget about, but it’s definitely something you don’t want damaged. Properly maintaining your roof is key to keeping it in good shape, saving you time and money on replacing it. Here are four things you should be doing to maintain your roof.
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Inspect regularly
One of the most important things is to keep an eye on your roof to make sure everything is good. This lets you discover when cleaning has to be done and address potential problems at an early stage. You can prevent further damage and costly repairs just by inspecting the roof regularly. Things you should be looking out for include:
- Missing, slipped or disturbed tiles/slates
- Cracked or curled tiles/slates
- Debris
- Brittle and loose nails
- Overflowing, dripping or leaking gutters
- Interior ceiling leaks
- Pooling water
- Bumps and deviations in tile lines
- Mold, fungus, moss or algae
- Ventilation issues and condensation
- Issues with the chimney, like loose masonry, flaking bricks, wet marks and holes
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Hire a roof professional for repairs
If your inspections reveal issues that are harder to deal with than simply cleaning or clearing off debris, then let your local roofer take care of it. A professional will be able to figure out what the problem is and will know how to fix it. If you try to do it yourself, you might get injured and you’ll likely not be able to rectify the issue anyway. It involves taking an unnecessary risk and wasting your time. You could, however, even make the issue worse or cause new problems by disturbing your roofing. Don’t take any chances, hire a professional.
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Keep roof clean and clear of debris
A simple but important thing you need to do for your roof is keeping it clean. Use roof cleaning products to ensure the roof isn’t left dirty for too long, which can lead to it rusting and deteriorating. This will usually be done every two weeks. You also want to keep your roof clear from branches, leaves and other debris that ends up there. Use a plush broom or a regular broom to sweep all debris down from the roof or collect it in bags. If there are any tree branches near the roof, these should be trimmed down so they don’t cause any damage in the long-term.
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Clear your gutters
Finally, you should also keep the gutters clear. When they’re blocked, this can lead to water running down the sides of your house and seeping in through the walls. This results in damp and mold inside your walls or on the interior walls of your home. Serious damage can be done to the structure of the house. If you don’t have gutters, you should definitely consider installing some so that the water doesn’t pool on the roof instead. Clear the gutters of leaves and debris using brooms or a gutter cleaning machine. Do this at least twice a year, or whenever the weather has been particularly bad.
And that’s it; follow these four simple guidelines to keep your roof in good condition for a long time.
