Your roof is an important part of your home, protecting it from the elements. Proper Roofing Missoula MT maintenance can extend its lifespan.
Regular inspections and timely repairs are crucial to extending the life of your roof. Small problems, such as cracked shingles or leaks, can develop into major issues if neglected.
Other key maintenance tasks include cleaning gutters to avoid blockages, limiting foot traffic on your roof (only trusted professionals servicing equipment should walk on the roof), and preventing attic ventilation issues.
Clean Your Gutters
Keeping your gutters clean is one of the best things you can do to extend the life of your roof. Gutters collect debris like fallen leaves, twigs, pine needles, and more, which can build up and clog your gutter system. Clogged gutters cause more problems than you might think, including water leaking inside your home and rotting fascia. In addition, the accumulated water from wet debris can add weight to your shingle roof and cause it to sag or even collapse under its weight.
Gutter cleaning is usually a messy and time-consuming job, but it’s an essential part of roof maintenance. It’s recommended to clean your gutters at least twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall.
When it comes to gutter cleaning, you should always use a ladder that’s safe and secure to climb. Ladders that are too short or wobbly can easily tip over, leading to a dangerous fall. To reduce the risk of a fall, make sure you use a telescoping ladder that has a stable base and attaches what’s called a Ladder Stabilizer to it. This braces the ladder against your siding and prevents it from slipping to the side. It’s also smart to have an assistant on the ground to hold the ladder and hand you tools as needed.
Before you get started, gather all the necessary tools for your gutter cleaning. It’s a good idea to wear rubber gloves to protect yourself from any pests that might be living on your roof, and you should have a large bucket or garbage can nearby to collect the trash as you work.
After you’ve cleaned your gutters, you can test the water flow to make sure all downspouts are functioning properly. You should also inspect all the roof penetrations such as skylights, vents, and chimneys to make sure they’re sealed properly. If any of these aren’t in good condition, consider having them replaced to avoid further damage to your roof. In addition, trim any trees that hang over your roof to help prevent damage from falling branches in storms.
Trim Trees
Trees are beautiful and add to the landscape of your home, but they can also damage your roof if they hang over it. This can lead to roof breakages and moisture underneath, which can cause shingles to rot and need replacement. Regularly trimming the trees and shrubs around your home will extend the lifespan of your roof.
Trimming trees that are too close to your roof helps to prevent damage during storms, especially those with high winds. If branches are blown loose and fall on your roof, they can damage the shingles, wood fascia, and other structures of the home, as well as cause water leaks in the house.
Keeping the trees and shrubs near your roof trimmed will also help to prevent rodents and other pests from accessing the roof. If you have a lot of rodents in your area, it’s best to install a metal barrier on the outside of your home to keep them from climbing onto the roof and chewing the shingles.
Excessive Shade
A little shade can be beneficial, but if your roof is getting too much shade, it can make it harder for the shingles to dry after rainstorms and can lead to water leaks in the home. In addition, excessive shade can cause the shingle material to degrade faster and allow moss and algae to grow, which will shorten the life of your roof.
If you notice a lot of moss on your roof, have a professional use a special cleaning solution to remove it. This will keep the moss from growing back and damaging your shingles.
Make sure to clean out the debris that collects on the roof surface regularly, and clean out the gutters regularly as well. This will help to reduce the number of leaves, pine needles, and other debris that can pile up on the roof and soak in the rain. This can cause your roof to deteriorate faster than it should, so be sure to clear the debris regularly and after rainstorms. This will also prevent your gutters from clogging and overflowing, which can also damage the roof.
Inspect The Roof
The best way to extend the life of your roof is by implementing a regular maintenance schedule. A professional will inspect the condition of your roof and address any minor issues before they become major problems that require costly repairs or even a replacement.
Whether your roof is asphalt shingle, metal, or tile, you should have it inspected at least once a year. In addition to examining the overall condition of the roof, the professional will look for moss, rust, and signs of damage such as blistering or holes in the surface of the roof. They will also check for gaps and deterioration around chimneys, vent pipes, and other roof penetrations that could allow water to leak into the building and cause damage.
If you have a roof that is made of wood, it will need to be checked and cleaned more frequently than a metal or shingle roof. This is because wood is prone to rot and can easily become damaged by water. This type of damage will not be immediately apparent, but the symptoms may show up in the form of rotting beams and joists or mold, mildew, and stains in the attic or upper floors of the home.
A roof inspection can be conducted by a professional or you can do it yourself. It is recommended to hire a professional because they will have the proper equipment to properly examine and test your roof. If you decide to do it yourself, you will need a ladder and a good pair of boots or shoes. You should also have a garden hose handy in case you come across any areas of the roof that are particularly damp.
A thermal imaging camera is also a great tool to use when checking your roof. This will enable you to see any hotspots on the roof and determine how bad the problem is. It is important to note that a normal amount of heat will appear as blue on the thermal imager, but excessively warm areas may indicate that the roof is leaking and needs repair or replacement.
Schedule Roof Repairs
A strong, durable roof is essential to protect your home from the elements. Diligent maintenance and inspections can extend its lifespan, saving you from costly repairs in the future. While a few complex repairs may require a professional roofing contractor, many of these maintenance tasks are easy for homeowners to manage themselves.
Keep It Clean
It’s important to regularly hose off your roof with a high-pressure nozzle to wash away dirt, debris, and leaves. This prevents moss and algae from trapping moisture against the surface of your shingles, which can lead to rot and mold growth. If your roof has any metal components, such as gutters and flashing, make sure to check for signs of rust. Rust spots should be cleaned and treated with a corrosion-resistant paint or primer designed for metal.
Overhanging tree limbs can scrape against the roof or cause damage during storms, and they can also deposit leaves and twigs that retain moisture on the shingles. Trimming these branches helps prevent this damage.
Keeping up with these maintenance tasks helps prolong the life of your roof, but it’s always best to have a professional inspect it for any signs of damage or aging. An experienced roofing contractor can recommend and provide solutions to fix any issues that you might have, extending your roof’s lifespan.
Limit Foot Traffic
It’s not practical to ban people from walking on the roof, but you should restrict access as much as possible. Allowing excessive roof traffic can lead to deterioration, and even a small amount of wear and tear can significantly reduce the life of your shingles. To limit this problem, install walkway pads at all entrance points and areas where frequent foot traffic will occur, such as ladders or hatches.
Proper attic ventilation helps move heat and humidity out of the attic, preventing it from damaging the shingles or causing ice dams in cold climates. Make sure to have soffit vents and roof vents installed, as well as a chimney cap, and confirm that they are unobstructed for proper airflow regulation.