Contrary to popular belief that a roof will last as long as its stated lifespan without any need to intervene, roofs actually degrade faster than you might think. This is because the “lifespan” of a roof largely depends on almost perfect weather conditions. And if you were thinking that the warranty will cover any problems, then you need to know that the warranty only kicks in under certain conditions, such as if the roof was being maintained properly.
The message is simple then: you’re responsible for ensuring that your roof is properly maintained. Fortunately, you can do that in two ways: 1) maintain the roof yourself or have someone do it on a regular basis, and 2) establish a contract with a professional roof maintenance provider.
Roof Maintenance Procedures You Can Do on Your Own
ROOF NO-NO. Roof maintenance involves ensuring that the roof is free of debris such as leaves and tree branches, among other items that can block drainage.
If you’re thinking of doing some roof maintenance on your own, take note that the tasks you can do could be limited to those that can be done from the ground. More complex tasks are best left in the hands of professionals. Here are the maintenance jobs that you can do if you have the time:
- Check for missing, loose, or warped shingles and tiles, as well as other signs of irregularities on the roofing material that you have.
- Check for any debris, such as leaves, branches, or anything that can get stuck in the gutter or block the downspout.
- Check trees beside the home to see if branches are extending over the roof. Make sure that those branches are trimmed regularly. Doing so will reduce the chances of the branches falling on the roof and damaging it, should strong winds or a similar weather disturbance hits your area.
- Check for any leaks. This is best done after it rains, but you can also do it during good weather as well. Water stains on the roofing beams, attic, ceiling, and walls will be your first clue. If the water marks are on the ceiling, this would mean that the leak has already progressed and finding the source definitely requires professional service. If the stains are still on the roofing beams, then there’s a good chance that the leak hasn’t done too much damage yet and it will just be a matter of finding the leak and sealing it up.
Establishing a Roof Maintenance Plan
Unless you’re a qualified roofer or building contractor, it’s unlikely that you possess the skills and knowledge necessary to perform a detailed inspection of the roof. You’ll need to remember that there could be signs of damage that you aren’t aware of. If not attended to immediately, the damage can spread, which can result in expensive repairs, or, worse, replacement.
PROFESSIONAL ROOF MAINTENANCE. By establishing a roof care plan with qualified roofers, you won’t need to worry about going up the roof to do complex maintenance tasks.
To reduce the chances of this happening, it would be a good idea to establish a roof care plan with qualified roofers or maintenance providers. With such a plan in place, you won’t need to worry about not being able to locate problems with your roof.
Additionally, such a plan would be highly beneficial after severe weather disturbances. By having professionals inspect your roof, you’ll have a better chance of fixing problems before they worsen.
What to Expect From Professional Roof Maintenance
Most roof maintenance plans consist of four segments: inspection, reporting, repair, and restoration.
The inspection segment will dictate how often a professional maintenance inspector will visit your home to perform a detailed inspection of the roof, which is usually every six months.
After the inspection, the inspector will provide a comprehensive report detailing the results. Any signs of damage and possible problems will be revealed in the report.
If the maintenance plan includes a specific repair agreement, the inspector could perform repairs immediately or have one of their crew visit your home to perform the repair.
Restoration refers to repair work that exceeds the scope of the maintenance plan. Should such be needed, the maintenance provider will detail the work that needs to be done and provide you with an estimate of the cost.
How You Should Proceed
If you really want to ensure that your roof lasts as long as possible, consider subscribing to a maintenance plan with a qualified roofer besides performing your own roof maintenance chores in between scheduled inspections. This way, you’ll be able to identify possible problems at the early stages and get the chance to have them fixed immediately before they get worse.
The roof maintenance plan will help ensure that any problems you may not have discovered during your own inspection can be identified and addressed during the detailed evaluations.
However, in order for the system to work, you’ll first need to find a reliable roofer that offers highly credible roof maintenance plans. If you’re not aware of any roofers in your area that provide this particular service, you may want to check the local business directory or go online to check customer reviews and testimonials.
GOOGLE IT. Looking for a roofer to maintain your roof? You can check online for customer reviews and testimonials, and to verify the track record of candidate roofers.
Once you’ve identified possible candidates, make sure that the company is credible, has plenty of satisfied clients, and has all the necessary permits and licenses to operate, as well as insurance.
You will then need to review the maintenance plan that they will offer and check whether the conditions meet your expectations, including how they will deal with any roof problems that may come up during the inspection.
It can cost a significant amount of money to have a roof replaced, not to mention a good amount of grief if the roof doesn’t reach its lifespan due to poor maintenance. Nothing is worse than feeling that you could have done something to make the roof last longer but you didn’t.
If you would rather prevent this from happening in the near future, make sure that you do all you can to ensure that your roof is properly maintained. Find a highly qualified roofer in your area and see if they offer a roof maintenance plan that will help ensure that your roof lasts a lifetime.
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Author Bio:
Jim Lane, In 1988, Jim Lane started A-Best Roofing company in Tulsa, OK. He believed customers deserved access to superior contractors with a high level of integrity and dedication to quality. Together with his skilled staff, Jim has always put the client first, providing unbeatable warranties and quality workmanship.
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