Your roof is an incredibly important part of your home’s overall health and safety. Your home is an investment – whether that be a financial investment, or an investment in your family’s future – and one of the best ways to protect your investment is by ensuring that your roof is in tip top shape by performing regular maintenance on it. So today, Roofstar is here to give you the essential roof maintenance tips to make sure your roof remains as healthy as possible.
Essential Roof Maintenance Tips
So what are the most essential roof maintenance tips?
- Inspect your asphalt shingles: Keeping an eye on the state of your shingles is a good way to check the overall health of your roof. Using a safe, sturdy ladder – or a drone – simply look over your roof, checking for shingles that are damaged, curling, or missing.
- Inspect your concrete or clay tiles: Identifying and repairing broken or slipped tiles is at the top of the list. Using a safe, sturdy ladder – or a drone – simply look over your roof, checking for tiles that are cracked, broken, or slipped out of place.
- Inspect your flat roof: Check open edges to be sure the roofing is not loose. If you roof has scuppers where water drains, check and be sure the roofing is well adhered in the scupper. Gently remove debris so as not to damage the roof. If you have a foam roof and see cracking on the surface, it may be time for a restoration.
- Clear any overhanging branches: If there are any trees in your yard that hang over your roof, you’ll want to regularly trim these branches. During a storm, these branches can snag on tiles and pull them off, or detach from the tree and fall on your roof, causing a hefty bit of damage. In addition, leaves falling onto your roof can block proper drainage over time if they build up.
- Keep your gutters clear: Your gutters play an important role in the health of your roof by redirecting water away from it. If the gutters on your home become clogged with debris, it can cause water to accumulate, which might lead to all sorts of nasty problems. It’s a good idea to get a sturdy ladder and thick gloves every few months and check that your gutters and downspouts are clear and free of any built-up debris, like leaves.
- Get inspected regularly: Performing routine maintenance by yourself is a good idea, but getting a professional inspection done yearly will ensure that you stay on top of any small issues before they snowball into big issues. A professional roof inspection will leave you confident that your roof is in the best condition possible. Regular inspections and proper maintenance is the only way your roof will reach it’s designed life expectancy.
What Not To Do On a Roof?
When performing maintenance on your roof, it’s important to use care in walking on the roof surface. Doing so can be dangerous, especially if you’re unaccustomed to walking on a roof – not to mention that it’s likely you could damage your roof by accident. If it’s necessary for you to go on your roof, you must use a proper ladder (NOT a step ladder), remember to wear shoes with traction and be very mindful of where you step. Never step on tiles near the valley areas, especially those that have been cut to fit.
Some other things you should avoid doing on your roof are power-washing; installing anything directly onto your roof, like a basketball hoop or a satellite dish; or trying to install a new roof over a damaged one by yourself. All of these can damage your roof and cost you extra money in the long run. YouTube is a good resource if you decide to try your own maintenance.
What Damages a Roof the Most?
There are lots of things that can damage a roof, from weather, foot traffic, poor installation or simply aging. Generally, the biggest risk to your Arizona roof will be from UV exposure and from wind and rain damage during the monsoon season. Water damage from debris buildup, broken tiles, or improperly installed pipe and vent flashings are also a common concern. Thankfully, most types of damage to a roof can be mitigated with proper maintenance, and with regular inspections problems can be found and solved before they turn into large – and expensive – headaches.
Ready to schedule a free estimate? Call Roofstar Arizona now at 480-426-1915. We’ll tell you the truth about your roof.