It’s no surprise that anything involving your roof tends to be more costly than not. As such, you’d want to stretch your roof’s longevity as far as you can before needing to call a roofing contractor for repairs or a full replacement. How does one maximize the longevity of their roof, you ask? Well, by performing routine maintenance, of course!

Here are five quick and easy maintenance tips you can start using today to get the most out of your roof’s life:

1. Wash Your Roof

This may seem like a no-brainer to some, but you’d be surprised by the number of homeowners that never wash their roofs! You don’t have to get up there with a brush, soap, water, and scrub each tile– just hosing or spraying the roof down with a bleach/water mixture should do the trick. Aim for a 50/50 mixture or 60 water/40 bleach mixture. The bleach kills unwanted growth on your roof–more on that later.

2. Trim Overhanging Branches

Branches hanging over your roof is a risk that can be easily mitigated. If left unattended, they can cause a variety of issues. Firstly, the shade provided by branches creates an environment that unwanted growth such as algae, mold, moss, fungus, mildew, and spirogyra thrive in. Secondly, during storms, the overhanging branches can snap off and fall on your roof, smashing it. Thirdly, if the branches do not snap and fall on your roof, they will most certainly scratch and bang against the roof, loosing and cracking your roof shingles. Call your favorite landscaper (or do it yourself) and get rid of those branches!

3. Check Your Shingles

This can be done from the ground as well as on top of a ladder. It’s highly recommended that you do both. Check your shingles to see if any are loose or out of place entirely. In addition, check for curling, cracks, and areas where they are raised slightly (unwanted undergrowth). If you notice any of these on your roof, contact your trusted local roofing contractor to confirm your findings and repair them.

4. Check For Streaking

No, not that kind of streaking! If your roof has darker than normal coloring in some areas, or if it has green spots, your roof may have some streaking. The discoloration is due to algae/moss/mold/fungus/mildew growth. This is common in roofs that are under a lot of shade for the majority of the year. This can be mitigated with the occasional washing (as mentioned above in #1), but it’s highly recommended to periodically call on a professional cleaner to thoroughly clean the roof. Another measure you can employ is to install zinc or copper strips along the peak of your roof. The run-off from rain mixes with the metal, and as it runs over and off your roof, the mixture kills and washes away any budding growth.

5. Clear Your Gutters

Your gutters divert run-off from rain and storms. If your gutters are blocked with leaves, sand, dirt, and other debris, they cannot effectively divert the run-off. This leads to issues such as leaks and mold spots inside your home; more cases of unwanted growth (algae and the like); clogging, which increases the weight of the gutter, which then causes the gutter to pull against the roof, causing damage; and unpleasant odors, to name a few. Be sure you are periodically checking and cleaning your gutters to avoid these bigger problems!

These preventative measures can be very effective in maintaining your roof and extending its lifespan. Yes, some of them take a bit of time, not to mention money (calling professional cleaners to clean and roofing contractors to fix), but the amount spent doing these is a lot less than the amount you will spend on more extensive repairs or a full replacement as a result of not taking any preventative measures and letting the elements fully wreak havoc on your roof. Following these steps will keep your roof healthy and beautiful; and will save you thousands of dollars over the life of your roof.

If you need a professional inspection to gauge the overall health of your roof, we at Jireh General Contractors are at your disposal. Contact us today (form below) to schedule an appointment!