Easy Ways to Prolong the Lifespan of Your Roof

 Guest Blogger #865, Entry #2088, February 11, 2012

Keeping a roof over your head isn’t just a matter of paying the bills. Home owners need to be proactive in home maintenance in order to make sure problems don’t arise. Roofing problems can lead to leaks and water damage, among other things, which quickly destroy roofs and lead to expensive repairs. To ensure a long life for your home’s roof, follow these maintenance tips and nip potential problems before they start.

Helpful tips to elongate the life of your roof

Image via: Rob Karosis Photography

Don’t Neglect Your Gutters

Clean gutters are the key to a healthy roof. Gutters are designed to direct the flow of precipitation off your roof and away from your home, but they only work when they’re clean. A clogged gutter quickly turns into a heavy tube of soaking debris that blocks water flow and puts additional strain on your roof. Leaks are more likely to develop in your roof’s weak spots if your gutters are clogged, especially during winter when snow and ice can pile up for several days.

Trim Intruding Tree Branches

Trees are beautiful, but they hold in their branches the power to wreak havoc on your home. Naturally falling debris such as leaves, twigs and seeds can quickly pile up on your roof, clogging gutters and requiring frequent clean-up jobs. This, however, is the least of your concerns. A heavy storm could send much larger and more threatening pieces of debris hurling down onto your roof and causing serious damage. Don’t let problems like this take you by surprise. Keep tree branches away from your roof to minimize your maintenance concerns and keep the possibility of dangerous accidents to a minimum.

Make Regular Inspections

Most roofing problems don’t spring up overnight, although it may appear that they do. A leak that you notice in your roof today is likely the result of damage that grew over months of neglect. Nip those problems in the bud by giving your roof at least two good inspections every year. Check once as fall begins to set in, and once again when spring comes around. This will help you identify any possible problems before and after winter, the season that puts roofs everywhere to the ultimate test.

Make regular inspections of your home’s roof

Image via: Darwin Webb Landscape Architects

Prepare for the Worst

Your roofing concerns may vary depending on your climate, but always plan for the worst case scenario. Home owners everywhere should look into fortified roofing options if they are concerned about their roofs’ lifespans. Spending a little extra to make sure your roof is set up strong from the start will make a big difference down the road. Don’t be careless with your roof–plan for the worst and set up a strong shield from the very beginning.

Don’t Cover Up Problems

If you’re like many home owners and have a shingled roof over your head, don’t paint it. Cover-up jobs only hide underlying problems, allowing them to fester and grow over time. When you paint over your shingles, weak spots and potential leaks only become more difficult to identify. When your roof is in poor enough condition to warrant a paint job, it’s probably time for a more thorough home improvement project.

For more maintenance tips on Stagetecture, click here.