How to Ruin Your Roof in 5 Simple Steps
As a homeowner, the roof is one of your home’s most important assets. For instance, your roof protects you and your family from harm, bad weather, and even falling limbs. But roofs need their own maintenance and protection to prevent damage from happening to them as well. If you’ve ever asked, “How do you maintain your roof?” Then you’re in the right spot.
So, if you want to know how to ruin your roof in just a few simple steps…then don’t follow the advice on this page. Of course, we’re guessing that you do want your roof to last for years down the road and offer safety and warmth. In that case, then you can implement these 5 simple steps for roof maintenance and damage prevention right away.
5 Ways to Prevent Roof Damage to Your Home
Here are five simple things you can do at home to keep your roof in tip top shape both now and in the future.
1. Keep Gutters Clean
One of the simplest (and cheapest) methods that you can put into action right away — literally today — is to check your gutters for debris or clogging. The health of your roof, and your home in general, depends in large part on the cleanliness and quality of your gutters.
For one thing, blocked gutters (such as with debris or, in cold weather, with “ice dams”) can lead to backed up water during heavy rain. This can cause damage to your roof, as well as the interior of your home. The simple (if unpleasant) task of cleaning out your gutters regularly can save you costly repairs down the line.
2. Keep Nearby Branches Trimmed
This one may seem obvious to some, but the large trees that lean over your home could very much be the source of major structural damage. During tornadoes, hurricanes, and other periods of heavy winds, a loose tree branch or broken limb could be ripped from the tree and dropped onto your roof.
Few experiences are quite as scary and traumatizing at home as a tree branch snapping and falling on your house. But that’s exactly what can happen if large tree branches that hang over your house’s roof are not regularly trimmed.
Due to the dangerous nature of such a project, we do not recommend that you take on this task by yourself. Instead, call a local specialist to take care of it for you.
3. Replace Missing/Broken Shingles Promptly
In addition to cleaning out your gutters and trimming overgrown branches, it’s always wise to keep an eye out for damaged, missing, or otherwise broken shingles. Shingles protect your roof and your home. But, if they become damaged, they may be leaving open spaces for rainwater to pour into your home unabated.
Naturally, an opening for water is a bad thing for any home, due to the damage it can cause. To make matters worse, a broken shingle might open up a pathway for water that settles and turns into mold, which is never safe to have around.
Finally, broken shingles keep your roof from doing its insulation job at peak efficiency, which may cause your heating and cooling bills to increase over time. In other words: if you spot a broken or missing shingle, get it replaced as soon as possible to prevent much more costly roof damage and headaches.
4. Check Metal Areas for Rust
Given enough time, and especially after being exposed to inclement weather, even specially treated roofs may give in to wear and tear. One particularly concerning issue is corrosion in the metal on your home’s roof. For metal roofs, this is an issue for the entire structure, of course, but even non-metal roofs can experience rust in the roof flashing.
Eventually, rust can actually cause substantial openings in your roof. These holes may become large enough for water to drip into your house. Over time, this can lead to the formation of mold and damage within your home’s walls, causing lasting problems and costly repairs.
5. Inspect Your Roof Regularly for Damage
The single most important thing you can do for your home’s roof is… Looking at it. In other words, it’s vital that your roof get a little attention on a regular basis.
This way, you can take notice of clogged gutters (and clean them out), eye dangerous or overgrown branches (and get them trimmed), spot missing or broken shingles (and have them repaired immediately), and become aware of rusted roof flashing or other metal on your roof (to be replaced).
Proper and timely roof inspection by you, the homeowner, is key to both a long life for your roof and the safety for your home — not to mention your peace of mind. Naturally, if you see anything amiss, you should call in a local roofing team to take care of the situation for you, especially if you happen to notice anything broken, missing, or rusting.
Additionally, you should have a professional roofer inspect your roof on a regular schedule. This way, you can rest assured that there’s nothing you’re missing, that your roof is in tip top shape, and that there’s nothing to worry about in the immediate future.
A Healthy Roof Is a Happy Roof
At the end of the day, all homeowners should have a local roofing specialist take a look at their roof regularly. With routine preventive maintenance and proper repair, you and your loved ones can enjoy a beautiful and safe roof for many years to come. Get in touch with Rennison Roofing to have one of our trained, local roofing pros inspect your roof today. It’s the peace of mind you need for a happy home, now and for years to come.