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Published On: Fri, Jun 18th, 2021

Why Regular Maintenance For Your Roof Is So Important

Looking for roof repair in Cincinnati? If you’re like most people, your roof is not in front of your mind most of the time. It’s the way up at the top of your house. It seems to be doing a good job of keeping the water out. In fact, it may just be that this is the first time you’ve heard the term “roof maintenance.” So what kind of maintenance does your roof need?

First, why add roof maintenance to your list of to-do’s when there’s already so little free time in your schedule? The short answer: savings. A bit of regular maintenance and vigilance will save you from bigger expenses down the line. How roof maintenance can help:

  • Extend the life of your roof. A well-cared-for roof will last longer. You’ll catch problems before they progress.
  • Prevent damage to the inside of your house and other structures like gutters.
  • Give you peace of mind. Why worry whenever you hear a creak or a branch brushing on the roof? It’s far better to be proactive and not defer maintenance.

Now that you’ve got the reasons why being vigilant of your roof is key, what should you look for? What are the key roof maintenance to-do’s? Here are a few of the most important things to look for:

  1. Know Your Roof

Your roof was rated to last a specific amount of time. Chances are the sellers who sold you your house, or your home inspector, gave you an idea of how old your roof was and how many years of life it had left back when you bought your house. So your first roof maintenance tip is just that: keep the expected life of your roof in mind. While its actual life may vary, having a sense of when the expected end of its usefulness may be will help you stay vigilant as it comes time to replace or repair it.

photo/ Michael Gaida

  1. Inspect It From The Inside

Often, the first sign a homeowner has that a roof needs repair or replacing is a leak on the inside. That’s most often the case when the roof is over a living space. But if your attic is unfinished or only used for storage, when was the last time you looked at its inside surface? If the answer is “a long time ago,” add an inside inspection to your regular home maintenance. Time it to coincide with something else you do regularly (perhaps changing the air filters on your furnace) and after each significant rainstorm or snowfall.

  1. Inspect The Perimeter Of your home Regularly

After a storm some of the early signs of damage to your roof aren’t on your roof at all. If you find loose shingles around your home or other debris that comes from the roof, it’s a good sign that it’s time to get a professional in to inspect your roof.

  1. Be Sure Your Attic Has Good Insulation

A poorly insulated attic will allow heat from the home to rise and melt snow and ice on the roof from the inside. When temperatures dip, this melted snow refreezes around your shingles. The expansion and contraction can cause extensive damage to roof shingles and underlying structures. Properly insulating your attic has the added bonus of helping to keep heating costs lower by preventing heat loss.

  1. Keep Your Gutters Clean

You tend to hear advice about keeping your gutters clean in connection with keeping your basement or ground floor dry. But did you know that keeping your gutters unobstructed also helps keep your roof’s tiles from curling at the edges? This type of damage can weaken the structural integrity of your roof and begin a domino effect that can lead to more serious damage.

  1. Have Your Roof Professionally Inspected

Now’s not the time to get out the rusty ladder or take a gander at your roof from the street. Inspecting a roof is what the pros are for. While you can look for a reputable company for roof repair in Cincinnati, you should get a professional eye on your roof well before you expect to need repairs. A qualified roofer can point out developing problems before they become major issues. They can offer you alternatives less daunting (and expensive!) than a completely new roof. Keeping your roof well-inspected will likely extend its life and prevent surprises. It will also prevent roof leaks from damaging your home’s interior and requiring you to undertake expensive repairs of inside walls and structures.

  1. Keep Trees And Vegetation Trimmed

Overhanging branches can rub on roof shingles and cause damage. Falling branches can cause even more extensive damage. Vegetation like vines growing up to the roof can help pull up shingles in wind or a storm, or harbor insects and make it easier for critters to get up on the roof. You want to keep a perimeter of vegetation-free space around the house and roof when possible.

In addition to cutting back branches and keeping vegetation trim, you’ll also want to treat lichen and moss every year. These can undermine the integrity of your roofing materials and degrade them to the point that they need replacing.

  1. Check Chimneys, Vent Openings And Skylights

It may come as no surprise that the places where your roof meets other structures of your home are likely to be the ones to fail first, like the area around the chimney, any vent openings, and skylights, especially those not original to the home. Have a professional check the flashing and caulking. These should be inspected regularly and resealed and repaired as necessary. Failing to watch for small failures at these points will lead to more expensive repairs down the road.

In conclusion

We hope these easy tips help you understand why regular maintenance for your roof is so important to the long-term health of your biggest investment: your home. Develop a good relationship with a trusted roofer and maintain a regular inspection schedule. Be vigilant and address problems early. With a bit of care, you can significantly extend the life of your roof and your peace of mind.

Author: Brenda Vollman

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