Step By Step Guide To Maintain Your Asphalt Shingles Roof

​Adequate maintenance is one of the things that will make your asphalt shingle last longer. It doesn’t matter if the best contractor installs the roof or you bought the best quality materials. Without proper maintenance, your roof won’t stand the test of time.
 
From my experience, I can tell you that over 60% of asphalt shingle roofs fail prematurely due to lack of maintenance. Most often than none, homeowners neglect the cleaning and maintenance of their roof after installation.
 
Even though asphalt shingles seem sturdy, they are more delicate than you imagine. To put it differently, the durability of your shingle depends on how well you maintain them. In a nutshell, if you give your roof attention, it will provide you with longevity.

Maintenance in this context includes cleaning your roof from time to time. You may not necessarily need an expert to handle it as you can do it yourself.
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What Will Happen If You Don’t Maintain Your Roof Regularly 
 
Many things will happen to your shingle roof if you aren’t cleaning it regularly. One of such things is moss growth. When the moss thickens without you taking note, it can raise your shingles in a very unnatural way.
 
With such an unnatural raise, debris will start gathering in areas they ought not to have been. Also, it will lead to water buildup. These are very bad for your roof. They could cost rot to the roof tiles, increase the likelihood of a leak, and damage your home in the long run.
 
Furthermore, if you don’t maintain your roof correctly, black algae and other similar issues will surely be on your roof. You see; roof cleaning should be your top priority as a homeowner.
 
How to Maintain Your Asphalt Shingle Roof
 
Like I mentioned earlier, maintaining our asphalt shingle roof is costless and easy. And if you can do it regularly, there is a high chance that your roof will be very durable. Here is how you can maintain your roof and make it more durable.
 
#1. Inspect the Roof Regularly
 
The first and most important maintenance tips for your roof is to have it inspected by professionals. It’s relatively cheap to do this; depending on your roofing contractor. Some roofers may even carry out free roofing inspections while others will do it at an affordable price.

The essence of inspection is to identify potential and existing threats to your roof. Ideally, during the inspection, a roofer will watch out for threats like; blue algae and other biological growths, plant debris, torn shingles, compromised chimney, soffit, etc.
 
As an experienced roofer, I will advise you to inspect your roof at least twice in a year. It should be during fall and spring. And whenever inspection is done on your roof, the roofer will handle any little threats to your roof before they escalate.
 
#2. Regular Cleaning of Your Roof
 
Proper cleaning of your roof is next to its durability. And regular cleaning involves constant clearing out of debris from your roof and its related system.
 
 So, when cleaning your roof, you should brush off debris from your shingles, flashing, vents, eaves troughs, skylights, solar system etc. Don’t forget to clean out the ventilation and downspouts.
You can use trowels to remove leaves and debris from the roof gutters. This action will enable water to pass through downspouts with ease and reduce the possibility of water buildup.
While you can handle “roof housekeeping yourself”, I would recommend you hire a skilled roofer. Otherwise, you could be damaging the roof you were supposed to protect.
 
#3. Always Be Cautious Of Nearby Trees and Plant Growths
 
I don’t think there’s anything that damages your roof faster than nearby trees branches. So, always take note of these trees and trim the branches that are too close to your roof. Also, try to clear every other vegetation that’s hanging around your roof. Your shingles roofs don’t need any external objects; they destroy it faster than you can imagine.
 
#4. Don’t Postpone Roof Repairs Once You Identify It
 
Carrying out roofing inspection isn’t enough; you must take actions immediately. It doesn’t make sense if you are still reluctant to carry out minor repairs on your roof after a roofer identifies them.
 
What most homeowners fail to understand is that minor repairs you fail to handle on your roof will degenerate into a more severe and expensive repair.
 
#5. Give Once Over To Your Roof Every Always
 
It’s recommended that you observe your roof from the ground all the time. The essence of such observation is to see if any of your shingles are missing. Once you notice any missing shingles, swing to action immediately and hire a roofer to do the needful.
 
How to Know That Your Roof Is Deteriorating
Every homeowner needs to develop the habit of checking their roof regularly. Trust me; this simple habit could save you from the financial stress of replacing a full roof. For these reasons, here are some ways to know that your roof is deteriorating;
There are two ways to know that your roof is deteriorating – the exterior signs and the indoor signs. We will examine each of these signs together to keep you abreast.
 
Exterior Signs
 
There are several exterior signs that your roof is deteriorating. While you can see some of them from the ground, you may need to climb your roof to see the others. Below are some exterior signs that your roof needs replacement.
 
#1. Loose or Missing Shingles
 
Once you notice missing or loose shingles, it’s a sign that your roof is deteriorating. You have to take actions immediately; otherwise, it could degenerate into more severe damage. In fact, water may start entering into your attic; you know that could be very dangerous.
 
#2. Missing Flashing
 
At all time, the metal flashing and rubber boots around your vent protrusions and chimneys must be in place. They prevent water from entering your house. But you can’t observe your metal flashing and rubber boots from the ground. A thorough inspection will unveil this.
 
#3. Curling Shingles
 
Curling shingles mean two things – it’s either the shingles has reached its lifespan, or there’s inadequate ventilation somewhere in your roofing system.
If the curling shingles aren’t much, you can replace them; otherwise, you may need to carry out a complete roof replacement.
 
#4. Bald Shingles
 
Bald shingles are shingles without granular surface. Baldness or smoothness of shingles is an indication that they have outlived their lifespan. It could also be due to vigorous cleaning of the roof with a power washer.
 
Indoor Signs
 
Remember, I earlier mentioned that you could observe your roofing conditions both indoors and exterior. However, it’s when the outdoor signs degenerated into something more severe that you will start seeing indoor signs. Below are some of the indoors signs to know that your roof is deteriorating.
 
Ceiling Spots
 
When you start seeing black spots on your ceiling, it indicates possible leaks through the roof. At this stage, it must have caused a bit of structural damage, and you will spend more.
 
Damp Walls
Damp walls are also signs that your roof is leaking severely. Do you know how? Water leaks from your roof sometimes run through the wall. And when this happens, it will compromise the dryness of your home’s wall and makes it always damp.
 
Most often than none, you may need to replace your drywall after repairing the roof. You know this will make you spend more than your budget. 
 
Blistering Paints
 
When you see large blister paint peeling out is usually as a result of water compromising the latex paint. So, what you should do first is to fix the roof issues. Once the roof leakage is solved, you can pop the blister so that any water in there can escape. For aesthetic purpose, you can cut out the section of drywall affected and replace it.
 
Cracked Walls or Ceiling
 
When you start seeing cracked in your walls and ceilings, it’s an indication that there’s a leak somewhere on your roof. Contact a professional roofer for possible inspection and fixing. If you delay this further, it could cause severe structural damage to your roof.

If you live in Connecticut, you can contact us for your roof repairs, replacement, and roof insurance claims.