Every roof has a certain lifespan depending on the material and installation. With proper maintenance, your roof can be in great shape for years and years to come. If you’re a DIY kind of person, we have some basic steps that you can take to maintain your roof to keep it in tip-top shape.
1. Clear the Debris from Your Roof & Gutters
If there’s only one thing you choose to do for your roof, this is it! Clearing the debris from your roof and gutters is easy and it makes a huge difference. Removing sticks, leaves, pine needles, and other debris from your roof and gutters allows water to drain as it should and prevent pooling and mold that could form on your roof. Doing this simple step alone takes unnecessary weight from your roof and gutters and also allows them to completely dry after a rainstorm.
What You’ll Need
- Ladder
- If you have a pitched roof, a safety harness system
- Push broom
- Water hose
- Air compressor or Gutter Cleaning Service
Steps
- Use your push broom to sweep all of the debris off of your roof. Avoid using a broom with stiff bristles. This could cause damage to your shingles if you have asphalt shingles. You could also opt for a water hose and a good nozzle and spray it off. Don’t use a pressure washer for the same reason you don’t want to use a broom with hard bristles.
- Clear out your gutters with an air compressor or by hand. You can also check out our blog here where we walk you through the thorough process of cleaning your gutters.
2. Trim Back Any Tree Limbs
Do you have any trees with limbs hovering over your roof or in close contact? Tree limbs can be a huge problem for your roof and its longevity. Do you have spots on your roof that have water collection or not drying all the way after a rainstorm? This could be the result of too much shade from a nearby tree. Since these branches are posing a threat to your home and your roof, it’s important that this is done carefully or by a professional. While you could attempt to do this yourself, we recommend hiring a professional because doing it yourself could cause more damage than what it is worth. Not sure who to contact? Give Coastal Roofing a call and our team of representatives have some to recommend.
3. Remove Any Growth & Standing Water
Water that stands on a roof can cause algae and other vegetation to grow. This can cause damage to your roof and can easily clog drains as well as create more standing water problems. This invites a place for fungus to grow and it could possibly spread throughout your home. It’s important to keep your roof clear of any standing water and growth.
What You’ll Need
- Ladder
- If you have a pitched roof, a safety harness system
- Push broom
- Spray bottle with 50/50 mixture of water/bleach solution
Steps
- Start by using the push broom to sweep any excess water off of your roof.
- Look for spots of algae, moss, and/or mold. Spray these areas of growth using the bleach solution.
- If you have areas where water is not drying it’s a good idea to evaluate why this is happening or give Coastal Roofing a call for a free inspection. Some of the reasons this could be happening could be due to lack of sun exposure, faulty drainage, etc.
4. Inspect Your Roof & Make Repairs
It’s a great time to be looking out for obvious signs of problems while removing debris. If you have a few loose shingles, you can likely fix this yourself with some roof cement.
What You’ll Need
- Ladder
- If you have a pitched roof, a safety harness system
- Roof cement and/or sealant
Steps
- Inspect your roof for any loose shingles, fasteners, cracks, or other damaged roofing material or shingles peeling up.
- If the damage is minimum you can use roof cement for shingles.
- For fasteners that have come loose or for small cracks/voids in your roofing material, you can use a tube of sealant for a temporary solution
- If you are unsure, give Coastal roofing a call for a free inspection.
With proper roof maintenance, you can add years of life to your roof. Not in the mood for harnessing, getting out the tools and ladders, and heading up to the roof? Contact Coastal Roofing, it’s what we do!
