Your roof is the protection for your home, and it’s important that you keep up with how well it’s aging. Over time, your roof will deteriorate and require more maintenance than in the past. By understanding what you can do to prolong the life of your roof, you’ll be able to keep it in good shape for even longer.
One of the most important things you can do to prevenmt issues with your roof is to have it professionally inspected. This will allow you to get an idea of exactly what type of condition your roof is in and where there may be any problems that need attention.
Steps you can take to prolong the life of your roof
- Keep your roof clean and free of any vegetation. If there are trees overhanging your roof or even close to the roof then consider trimming those back. Leaf litter in gutters will quickly lead to rust in the gutters or worse, blocked gutters that can lead to water damage to the roof cavity and walls.
- Regularly check your gutters to make sure that they are free of debris.
- Ensure that you avoid standing water on the roof or in the gutters as this can cause leaks or even rot in older roofs.
- Get a moss and mould treatment done every few years or as soon as you see the first signs of moss, mould or lichen on your roof.
- In metal roofs, look for bent metal tiles (decramastic roof tiles) where water can pool. Make sure that those areas are replaced.
- Seals around chimneys and posts need to be checked and renewed regularly. Any water penetration around items penetrating through the roof will quickly damage the underlying roof structure.
- Discolouration of part of the ceiling may indicate that there is a leak in the roof.
- Check for cracked tiles or cracked pointing in concrete tile roofs or tears and areas of perforation in membrane roofs
Prevent having to re-roof
If your roof is still in reasonable condition, then it may be able to be painted. That is considerably cheaper than replacing the roof and will significantly prolong the life of the roof. Be sure that the roof painter does not just paint over any existing issues but takes care to inspect and remedy any areas prior to painting. Working with a reputable company like HomeSmart Roofing can save you much frustration.