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7 Rental Property Roof Maintenance Tips for Landlords

As the owner of a rental property, you can typically expect to spend at least 1% of your property value annually on maintenance costs and repairs. While tenants are in charge of routine maintenance, landlords need to cover unexpected costs, forecast repairs, and provide maintenance to keep their properties in good shape. Roof maintenance is an important part of property management that can save you a lot of money in the long run and add years to the life of your roof.

Do you want to learn more about roof maintenance tips for property owners?

Keep reading this article for the top seven roof maintenance tips for property managers or people that own rental properties.

1. Clean Gutters

One of the easiest things you can do to protect the roof of your rental properties is to keep the gutters clean. Gutters are necessary to channel rainwater off of your roof and away from the walls and foundation of your building.

If your gutters are clogged with leaves, sticks, and other debris, the water will not drain properly from your roof. It can cause the water to back up and create standing water.

Plus, clogged gutters can lead to ice dams in the winter months, which can increase the likelihood of your roof developing leaks. You can hire a professional company to clean your gutters for you to increase your safety and prevent unnecessary damage to your gutters.

2. Trim Tree Branches

Next, you must keep tree branches and other foliage trimmed back and away from your roof. If you have tree branches that hang over or touch your roof, it can cause many issues.

First, it can damage the structure of your roof during big storms. The branches may break off and damage your shingles and can even break through your roof.

Tree branches over your roof also make it easy for pests to get on your roof and gain access to your building. By keeping your branches trimmed, you can protect your property from these types of damage.

3. Inspect for Damaged or Missing Shingles

If you have a shingle roof, you also must regularly inspect your roof for damaged or missing shingles. Often, shingles can get damaged if there is a large storm with strong winds. Even if they are not missing, shingles can start to crack and disintegrate as they age and after years of sunlight exposure.

Inspecting your roof will help you identify these issues and replace the damaged shingles. This way, you will not have any weak spots on your roof that will be prone to leaks.

4. Check Roof Flashing

The flashing on your roof is used to seal areas of your roof that are more likely to develop leaks. For example, flashing is found near the base of chimneys, close to plumbing vents, and around other areas of your roof that are not sealed off.

If you have damage to the flashing, it will be much easier for water to leak into your rental property. It will also make it easier for rodents and other pests to get inside.

Loose or missing flashing can be a serious problem but is relatively easy to fix by contacting a roof repair company!

5. Improve Insulation and Ventilation

Another important part of roof maintenance for rental properties is finding ways to improve the insulation and ventilation of your roof.

The roof plays a large role when it comes to the internal temperature of your property. If you have damaged insulation or if there isn’t enough insulation in your roof, it can lead to issues with your HVAC system and increased energy bills.

Ventilation problems and damage to roof insulation can also cause excess moisture in the attic or crawlspace of your rental property. This can lead to mold growth in the attic, can cause rot to develop on the structure of your roof, and can even cause ice dams to form on your roof.

6. Make Repairs as Soon as Possible

As a landlord, you must make necessary repairs to your roof as soon as possible. It may be tempting to push off repairs to save money, but this can worsen the issues with your roof and lead to more expensive damage.

The key to good roof maintenance is staying up-to-date! Getting regular roof inspections will help you identify any repairs you need to make and will ensure that your roofing problems are caught in time.

If you need a roof repair, we can help!

7. Hire a Professional Roofing Company

Finally, you must hire a professional roofing company to help with roof repair, replacement, or maintenance. As a landlord, it can be tempting to do a DIY roof repair to save money and lower your maintenance costs.

However, a professional roofing company will provide you with much higher-quality roofing services. This way, you can feel confident that your roof was repaired or replaced correctly.

Roofing companies have the training and experience necessary to repair your roof correctly and efficiently.

Need Help With Roof Maintenance for Rental Properties?

As a landlord, you must prioritize proper roof maintenance on your rental properties. This will prevent the need for unnecessary repairs and will add years to the life of your roof. By following each of these landlord tips for roofing maintenance, you can protect your investment.

Are you looking for more landlord advice for roofing maintenance? Innovative Roofing can help! We provide roofing services for commercial and residential landlords.