8 Tips for Maintaining the Curb Appeal of Your Home’s Roof This Spring

Last year’s harsh winter isn’t the only thing homeowners need to worry about heading into springtime. While your home’s exterior is likely to receive a fresh coat of paint, an average house can spend upward of $50,000 on upkeep during the course of its lifetime. The roof is one area that should be regularly inspected for damage or fading and repaired as necessary.

Here are 8 tips for keeping your roof in tiptop shape this spring:

1) Check for Cracks

Asphalt shingles are made out of fiberglass and asphalt, making them resilient against high winds but vulnerable to water damage when they crack. A survey conducted by Roofing Company Review found that 26 percent of all suffer from cracked tiles. Fortunately for homeowners, cracks are fairly easy to detect with the naked eye. Furthermore, they can be repaired by professionals for as low as $200 per tile.

2) Inspect Your Gutters and Downspouts

Leaves and other debris can clog your gutters and cause water to back up over your roof’s edge. When that happens, it wears away at the shingles and may even damage the underlayment (the layer of felt between the shingles and the sheathing). Downspouts should also be clean of any debris so water drains properly from your roof.

3) Clean Up Tree Debris

If you have a tree in your yard, chances are good that there will be some dead leaves on top of your roof. If it’s a rainy spring, you’ll want to make sure that any debris is cleared away from your home’s edge to help prevent leakage into the attic and ceiling below. Just be sure you use a broom, not a hose!

4) Check Your Chimney

In addition to being a great source of warmth during winter, the chimney also serves as an exhaust vent for your furnace. Over time, soot can accumulate in flue tiles or around joints and connections. When that happens, water will pool up against the roof and damage the shingles right above it. On top of that, dripping moisture can seep into surrounding walls and ceilings. You should schedule a chimney inspection every year to check for creosote buildup.

5) Remove Moss & Lichen

If your home is surrounded by moist climates, moss and lichen can accumulate on the roof’s surface. When it gets wet, algae will grow within 24 hours and can cause further problems. You should scrape off any of this growth with a long-handled paintbrush or broom so that water drains properly over time. These organisms are also acidic in nature, which accelerate shingle decay.

6) Forgetting about Your Roof While Spring Cleaning House?

Here’s What NOT to Do! It might be easy for some homeowners to forget about their homes’ roofs while spring cleaning, but there are several things you SHOULDN’T do when climbing up onto your home’s rooftop: – Perform DIY Repairs: Even if you’ve had experience with small repairs on your shingles in the past, any more intensive work (like re-roofing your home completely) should be left to professionals. – Clean you’re Gutters While Climbing

If you’re already on the roof, it might seem like a breeze to clean out your gutters while you’re there. However, this can lead to injury if gutter guards become loose and dump debris back down onto unsuspecting pedestrians below. – Fall from the Roof

If children are allowed to climb ladder rungs unsupervised or adults don’t believe two feet of solid ground beneath their feet, they could fall from ladders or even roofs during tasks like sweeping off leaves and debris.

7) Inspect Skylights

Skylights are a great source of natural light for any indoor space, but they need to be regularly inspected as well. Shockingly, 78 percent of roofers reported finding some form of damage on skylights. As opposed to only 60 percent who found damage on gutters. The most common problems with skylights include rust and loose hardware (like screws). These defects will lead to air leaks and may cause structural damage if left alone.

8) Don’t Leave Snow or Ice on Your Roof

Under normal circumstances, snow and ice play an important role. Protect your home’s roofing materials from the elements during the winter months. However, if you’re like many homeowners who ignore roofs until warm weather arrives before taking down the decorations. You won’t be plotting your roof’s safety. After all, ice can add significant weight for a very long time. So it’s best to take it down before problems arise. Don’t Miss: How To Inspect Your Roof Before Winter.

Conclusion:

Nowadays, with the development of modern science and technology, people are more aware about roofing materials. Which is why you should be able to avoid any problems that might have occurred in the past? Of course, if there are some issues that need your attention right now – do not hesitate to contact us!