The best ways to clean and maintain your roof
Are you ready to replace the roof on your house? If not, then you must consider the best ways of maintaining and cleaning it. Keeping the roof clean and free of all clutter is best or your pockets. A clean and well-maintained roof won’t develop the small problems that require hiring a roofing technician to repair. To avoid the high cost of replacing a damaged roof, you should identify several ways of making the roof last as long as necessary.
So, what should you do?
Cleaning gutters
First, clean the gutters properly and regularly. Overflowing gutters are a worrying site. If you leave the gutters dirty and overflowing, expect to find them causing water to wick right into the roof sheathing. The result of this would be rotting sheathing. The roof rafters are capable of rotting and growing weaker because of the limitless exposure to water. Fixing the rotting sheathing and rafters could cost you thousands of dollars.
Removing leaves
If towering trees surround your house, it would be a miracle in case the roof isn’t full of leaves. Check the roof valleys as well as the areas around the chimneys, as they are more susceptible to the falling leaves. Failure to remove the leaves regularly while cleaning this part of the building traps moisture on the roof. Poignantly, the trapped moisture will cause the roof to begin decomposing. The roof would then transform into a fertile ground for weeds.
Eliminating moss
Check the roof for black algae or moss. Black algae aren’t bad for the roof. Black algae are capable of creating havoc in the health of every person who resides in your home. Moss, on the other hand, is notorious for trapping water in the roof. If the buildup of moss has reached dangerous levels, your best option would be to focus on killing it first. After eliminating the moss, install zinc strips on the roof to prevent a recurrence.
Trimming overhanging branches
Never ignore or underrate the role that overhanging branches can play damaging the roof. When cleaning the roof, focus on the overhanging branches as well. The surrounding trees are not entirely bad, especially when you consider the cover and protection that they provide to the roof against the powerful UV rays. However, this doesn’t make them must-haves. Trim the branches so that they don’t fall on the tree, which would lead to higher repair or replacement costs.
Preventing Ice Dams
Ice dams form right at the roof edges. The dams are notorious for making it hard for melting snow to drain off from the roof. As water continues backing up on the roof, it finds its way into the home. The leaks can then damage ceilings, walls, insulation and other parts of the home. If you don’t fix the ice dams, be ready to incur crazy expenses fixing the problems that accrue from this development.
Regular Inspection
Regular inspection is a top maintenance tip that you should never ignore. You can’t know if the roof has problems without regular inspection. Inspecting the roof after a recent hailstorm is highly recommended too. Heavy winds are notorious for damaging the roof. Therefore, inspect this part of your house for damages when the neighborhood has suffered the brunt of heavy winds in recent times.
As shown in this article, you can clean and maintain the roof properly, thus making it last longer, continue serving you well and reduce your roof repair and replacement expenses. Keeping the roof clean isn’t a tough job. Cleaning and maintaining the roof properly doesn’t require technical skills. Wear the right protective and safety gear if you choose to clean the roof yourself. If you lack the right equipment, hire a roofing contractor to clean and maintain the roof.