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7 Roof Maintenance Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

Depending on the roofing material you choose, your roof can last well over 50 years. However, most roofs require a bit of maintenance to last thins long. By learning how to properly maintain your roof, you will be able to avoid expensive repairs and your roof will last longer without needing a roof replacement.

Do you want to learn more about roof maintenance and how you can take care of your roof? Keep reading this article for the top seven roof maintenance tips you need to follow.

1. Remove Debris and Leaves

The first thing you need to do to protect your roof is to remove leaves and other debris from your roof. Things like leaves, branches, and more can collect on your roof and cause many problems.

You can easily clean your roof yourself with a broom or even with a leaf blower. Make sure you never use a pressure washer to clean your roof, as this can loosen the granules of your shingles and worsen the damage on your roof.

Many professional roofing companies also provide roof cleaning services if you would rather hire a professional to remove the debris from your roof.

2. Trim Branches Around Your Roof

When you have trees with branches that extend over your roof, it is important that you trim these branches back.

First, tree branches over your roof can be dangerous in bad weather. If a storm breaks the branches off your trees, they may fall on your roof and cause structural damage, and can remove your shingles.

Next, branches that reach across your roof provide easy access to pests. Things like rats, squirrels, and other critters can chew through your shingles, nest on your roof, and cause many other issues with your roof. To prevent this, keep branches at least 10 feet away from your roof.

Finally, overhanging branches will prevent sunlight from reaching your roof, which may make it harder for your roof to dry after a storm. This can lead to moss and algae growth, rot, and more.

3. Keep Your Gutters Clean

Part of keeping your roof clean is also keeping your gutters clean. The same debris that can cause problems with your roof can clog your gutter. This means that the water that comes off your roof in a storm will go straight to your home’s foundation and can cause serious damage to the structure of your home.

To prevent this, you should clean your gutters one or two times a year. You can do this at the end of the fall and during the spring. This will keep your gutters free of fallen leaves and other debris.

4. Keep Your Attic Ventilated

If you have poor ventilation in your attic, it can cause serious heat damage and mold growth on your roof. Plus, this lack of ventilation can lead to ice dams in the winter.

This is because heat will escape from the attic and will heat your roof deck. This warm air will melt the snow, which can freeze over when the temperature drops below zero. Ice dams can loosen your shingles, tear off gutters, cause leaks, and more.

By finding ways to keep your attic ventilated, you can prevent each of these problems! You may need to hire a professional roofing company to help with attic ventilation, but there are some simple fixes that can improve the ventilation.

5. Prevent Moss and Algae Growth

Another important part of roof maintenance is preventing moss and algae from growing on your roof. Not only will this affect the appearance of your roof, but it also could be a sign that there are high levels of moisture on your roof.

Too much moisture can cause your roof to degrade, so make sure you do what you can to prevent algae and moss from growing on your roof!

6. Inspect Your Shingles for Damage

Next, you need to regularly inspect your shingles for damage. This should be done at least once a year and after any major storms. Doing this inspection will help you identify early signs of damage on your roof before it worsens.

For example, you may notice that some of your shingles had blown off after a storm with high winds. If you notice missing shingles, you can get them replaced to prevent leaks in the future.

You should also inspect your shingles for other signs of damage. Often, shingles can crack or curl after too much sun exposure and as they age. If you notice these issues, you should schedule a consultation with a roofing company.

7. Get a Free Inspection

Finally, you should get regular inspections from a professional roofing company. While there are many issues that you can identify on your own roof, professional roofers are trained to notice issues that you might not be able to see.

After an inspection, they will provide you with advice for the next steps you can take to protect your roof.

Plus, they can provide you with roofing inspections if you are worried about getting on your roof yourself. Make sure to schedule an inspection if you notice any leaks or other problems with your roof.

Need Help With Roof Maintenance?

Learning about the proper roof care is essential to prevent roof repairs and to avoid unnecessary issues with your roof. By following each of these roof maintenance tips for your home, you will find that your roof lasts much longer without issues.

Do you need help with residential roofing maintenance? Innovative Roofing can help! Our team of roofing experts provides everything from roof inspections to repairs and more.