The roof of your home is essential for protecting it against the elements. A well-maintained roof protects your home, extends the life of your home, and also helps prevent energy loss. Here are some important roof maintenance tips to keep in mind:

1. Regularly Clear Your Gutters

Well-maintained gutters that are working properly are essential to protecting your roof and your home from damage caused by moisture and debris. Regularly check your gutters and clear out leaves and other debris so they can continue to drain properly and direct water away from your home.

If your gutters are sagging or have visible damage, it is time to replace them. Whether you have to replace your gutters or are just tired of cleaning out leaves, you can consider upgrading to a LeaFree or Leaf Relief gutter guard system. Gutter guards can help keep your gutters clog-free and reduce the maintenance you need to do to keep them draining properly.

2. Periodically Clean Off Your Roof

It’s also a good idea to periodically clean off your roof. At least twice a year, clean leaves, debris, etc. off of your roof. If you have a lot of trees around your home, you may need to do this more often. A snow rake is a useful tool to have on hand during the winter. If you get a lot of snow, you can use it to easily clear heavy snow loads off the roof. Inspecting your roof and cleaning it are essential items on any New Year home maintenance checklist and are also a good idea as seasons change throughout the year.

3. Monitor and Trim the Trees Around Your Home

Another one of the important roof maintenance tips is to monitor and trim the trees around your home. Keeping the trees close to your home trimmed can help prevent damage to your roof caused by growing or falling branches.

Also, monitor any trees near your home to make sure they are not at risk of uprooting or falling on your home during a storm. Keep an eye out for any signs that the tree is dying. If you’re not sure, an arborist or tree surgeon/doctor can help you determine if a tree is dying and also help you get it removed.

4. Make Sure Your Roof is Properly Ventilated

Proper roof ventilation is essential to the health of your roof and your home; it can also help protect your home from water damage. Poor ventilation can lead to energy loss, leaks and water damage, and more. Check the interior of your home to make sure there is proper insulation and that there are no signs of roof leaks, moisture, or other issues.

More signs you don’t have proper roof ventilation are ice dams during the winter. These are usually caused by an overly warm attic, which can usually be attributed to poor or inadequate roof ventilation. Ice dams can be damaging to your roof as they build up, but proper roof ventilation can help prevent them.

5. Regularly Monitor Your Roof

Regularly monitor your roof for issues. Check for signs of damaged or missing shingles, flashing, fasteners, etc., especially after any big storms have come through your area. Also, keep an eye out for streaking on shingles that are regularly in the shade.

If shingles are shaded for a long time, especially when it is humid, they can become streaked with moss, mold, and fungus. All of these can damage your roof over time if they are left to grow unchecked. The good news is that many shingles can be replaced if needed without having to replace the entire roof if the rest of the roof is fine. This is one of the benefits of asphalt roofing shingles.

As you are looking over your roof, also examine the drip edge. You want to make sure there isn’t any sign of damage in this area. At the same time, keep an eye on any metal components to make sure they are not rusting.

6. Maintain the Chimney

If you have a chimney, it is important to monitor and maintain it. A falling brick or stone can cause a lot of damage to a roof. Plus, a damaged or old chimney stack can fall over and cause severe damage to a roof. A cracked chimney is also one of the signs of structural damage you should not ignore.

On top of that, a poorly maintained chimney is also a serious fire hazard for your home. Regular cleaning and chimney inspection can help reduce the risk of a fire and will also help protect your roof from potential damage from the stack.

These are just a few important roof maintenance tips to help extend the life of your roof and to help you keep your roof working for you. Proper roof maintenance and other things can also help you avoid common winter roofing problems.

If your roof is damaged or doesn’t seem to be protecting your home the way it should, it may be time to replace it. Call Zephyr Thomas at (717) 399-4708 to get started on your free quote!

Check out the Zephyr Thomas team replacing this roof!