3 Roof Maintenance Mistakes You Can't Afford To Make
We rely on residential roofing to keep our homes dry and comfortable, but many of us take our roofs for granted. Taking the time for maintenance can be a pain, to be sure. However, the alternative is going to be much more expensive and frustrating. If you don't properly care for your roof, you may need extensive repairs following weather damage, which is the reason 65% of homeowners give for repairing their roofs, or you may end up cutting its life much shorter than necessary. Want to make sure your initial roof investment is a sound one? Don't make the following mistakes with your maintenance.
Pressure Washing The idea behind this is a sound one, as you should take care to remove debris from your roof. But the execution will undoubtedly be poor. A pressure washer is way too powerful to use on your roof. Yes, it'll get rid of the leaves and dirt, but it will also eliminate the granules on your shingles. That means that your roof won't be waterproof anymore, which can lead to subsequent water damage. If you don't want to pay an arm and a leg to fix those damages, stick to more traditional methods of debris removal and, when in doubt, call a professional.
Walking On The Roof Whether you have metal roofing or asphalt shingles, you should avoid walking on your roof if at all possible. This foot traffic will result in more wear and tear than necessary, especially if you're inexperienced in this area. In addition to the damage you might do to your roofing material, you'll also put yourself at risk for serious injury. It's better to conduct a brief inspection from the ground and call your contractor if you notice anything's amiss.
Forgetting To Schedule An Inspection One of the biggest residential roofing mistakes you can make is to forgo your regular inspections. Just because you haven't noticed any leaks from your gutters or any missing shingles doesn't mean there aren't issues you need to deal with. And most of the time, you should deal with them sooner rather than later. By putting off your yearly inspections, you could be putting your family's safety and comfort at risk. You could also be forced to pay much more down the road for replacement or extensive repairs. It's better to just bite the bullet and call in the professionals on a yearly basis.
Regular roof maintenance might not be your idea of a good time, but it sure beats having to invest in substantial roof repairs or roof replacement. If you can avoid these mistakes, your residential roofing material will stay in great shape for years to come.
