A new roof is a significant financial investment, and as such, you will want to safeguard it. Even if your roof is several years old, keeping it in good condition will help extend the amount of time it lasts and prevent you from having to replace it before it should be.
Routine Roof Maintenance
It is essential to perform routine maintenance on your roof since even the smallest break or leak, if it is allowed to progress unchecked, can result in significant damage to your property. Issues such as ageing, blocked gutters, skylight damage, rust, and brittle components might go undiscovered if there is no regular maintenance performed on the roof. If the damage becomes severe enough, the entire roof will need to be replaced.
Changing out your roof is typically an expensive undertaking. However, if you keep up with the necessary maintenance, you can prevent seemingly insignificant concerns from developing into major ones and safeguard your house throughout the entire year.
Maintain your gutters.
Your roof is designed to disperse water and dry and while rainwater usually washes away any dirt and debris there will come a time where extra debris begins to trap moisture. Once this debris starts to decay it can provide the perfect conditions for an outbreak of moss and mould on your roof. Because of this it is crucial to maintain a clean gutter system. The easiest way to clean your gutters is to hire a professional who will have all the correct safety and cleaning equipment for the job. If you are to attempt the job yourself, you’ll need a ladder that can be securely fastened to the work area, a small scoop and soft bristle brush and a tarp. It’s advisable to utilise sun protection such as a hat and long sleeved shirt and gardening gloves for extra safety. If you lay a tarp at the base of your ladder you can dump whatever rubbish, you remove from your gutters and transport it easily to the appropriate bin. You should aim to clear your gutters at least twice a year with possible extra checks carried out after storms.
Check your surrounding trees.
As discussed above the trees surrounding your home will be the major source of debris clogging your gutters, but they can pose greater dangers to your roof, with some trees being more dangerous than others. Before the onset of winter is a good time to check if any potentially dangerous branches should be trimmed. Supercell storms, hail, high winds and other natural occurrences can shear branches which can cause enormous damage to your roof.
Try to limit moss outbreaks
The growth of moss, which at first glance does not appear to be cause for concern, can in fact do great damage to the structure of your roof. Moss will invade the space beneath your shingles in search of additional shade, and as it grows, it will expand and push your shingles upward. When the shingles are pushed up, rainwater can seep below them, which can lead to leaks and decay in the decking below. Because they are angled upward, the shingles have a greater chance of being blown off the roof by the wind. In addition, if your roof is made of asphalt shingles, moss will actually wear down the shingles themselves, which will speed up the process of your roof falling apart.
Moss also generates better traction for debris, which causes your roof to hang onto debris that would otherwise slide off with rain. If your roof did not have moss, the debris would slide off with the rain. The accumulation of moss, debris, and water from precipitation will inevitably lead to either rotting or leaking.
You can choose from a huge selection of different products designed specifically for cleaning roofs. The remainder is left on the roof to be washed away by the rain after a portion of the solution is poured upon it and allowed to chemically decompose the moss there. Some methods call for washing the roof, which involves spreading the chemical over the surface of the roof and removing the moss with relative ease using a brush.
You can also read our best cleaning tips when cleaning your roofs.
Note that you should not use a pressure cleaner or scrape moss off of your roof. Both of these methods cause unnecessary wear on your roof, which can result in your shingles breaking, cracking, tearing, and losing their vital granular surfaces. Instead, you should just wash your roof with a garden hose.
Schedule regular inspections
If you’re experienced with roofing it’s a good idea to inspect your roof for any sign of deterioration or damage. Alternately it may be better to have the assessment carried out by an experienced operator like Amazing Roof Restorations. A specialist in roofing will be aware of what to search for. If they notice a problem with your roof that may be missed by the untrained eye they’ll have the knowledge and know how to give you the quickest and most effective solution to the problem.
It’s also worth remembering that clambering over a roof yourself looking for problems is not the safest pastime. A specialist will have all the equipment needed to carry out any inspection to the highest safety standard.
Simply having a thorough once over as little as once a year can help prevent far more costly outcomes borne from unchecked problems.
Need maintenance? Call Amazing Roof Restoration!
With decades of experience in all kinds of roof installation, repair and maintenance, Amazing Roof Restorations are the smart choice to help your roof stay in tip top condition. Their fully qualified professionals take pride in their work and are here to ensure your roof stands the test of time. Servicing the Central Coast, Newcastle and Greater Hunter their local knowledge ensures you have a roof fit for local conditions. You can call them for a quote or any other roofing enquiry on 02 4944 2085, email them at info@amazingroofrestoration.com.au or use the contact form here. Remember, if you suspect you do have a problem with your roof, the longer you leave it the worse it will get!
