In roofing, it’s often what’s not seen that makes the biggest impact. The question is, how can you maintain your roof when you can’t always see what’s going on up there?
Fortunately, you don’t have to climb up to the rafters to maintain your roof – with a ladder and a little elbow grease, you can do a lot. For year-round roof maintenance, check out these roofing maintenance tips.
Keep your gutters clean
Throughout each season, your gutters can collect debris. Maintaining your residential roof requires keeping your gutters clean and free of blockages all year long. Water that can’t flow freely down your gutters and away from your home can cause all sorts of problems, from basement flooding to ceiling water damage.
With this simple roof maintenance tip, you can prevent roof decking rot caused by gutter backup. It’s a good idea to climb a ladder every now and then or hire a professional gutter cleaning service to keep your gutters clear.
Trim back trees and landscaping
Despite trees making beautiful landscapes, they can also cause a variety of problems. Branches and limbs that fall during a storm can damage your roof and provide easy access for squirrels and other critters. One of the best tips for how to maintain a roof is to clear away any threatening branches.
If you notice that tree branches and other landscaping are growing too close to your house or roof, trim them back a few feet so that they won’t cause any problems during a sudden storm. To prevent damage to your foundation, make sure shrubs and other ground landscaping allow adequate space for your gutters to drain water away from your home.
Remove snow from your roof
Snow can be fun to play in, but a significant accumulation on your roof is not so much fun. Having a lot of snow and ice sitting on your roof can lead to roof collapse, especially if it is an older, shabby roof.
Using a snow rake, scrape away any snow you can reach from your roof. As a result, your roof will be less likely to collapse from the weight of the snow.
Check for Cracked or Missing Shingles
When summer arrives it can really take its toll on your roof. Excessive temperatures can cause the shingles on your roof to shrink or crack.
Calling in a professional roofer to inspect your roof can help you get ahead of possible damage down the line.
Remove moss and mold
As a result of the wind, algae, moss, and mold spores can easily spread from one rooftop to another. Unlike algae, moss and mold can be detrimental to asphalt roofing. When you see moss or mold on your roof, you may have a leak or an area where moisture collects.
As a result, moss can curl asphalt shingles, causing them to fall off in bad weather and allowing moisture to penetrate other layers of the roofing system. That is why it’s important to get rid of any moss or mold as soon as possible.
Look for leaks inside
While a visual inspection on the exterior of your roof will tell you a lot about your roof’s health, you might not be able to spot leaks or infiltrations from the outside.
After heavy rainfall, be sure to take some time to inspect your ceilings, especially in the attic, if you have one. Look for any moisture or signs of water damage. If you do see signs of water damage, we recommend you call a professional roofer to inspect and resolve the issue before any severe damage is done.
Get a roof inspection
As we have mentioned, one of the best roof maintenance tips is to call in a professional roofer like ourselves to examine your roof and give it a thorough roof inspection.
At Regan Roofing, we carry out roof repairs of all types. Whether you need an emergency repair due to storm damage and bad weather, or you need some loose Welsh slate tiles replacing, our highly qualified roofing team are able to carry out expert roof repairs to restore your roof to the way it was.
Contact us if you are looking for roof repairs In Conwy, Llandudno and throughout North Wales.