Routine Roof Maintenance Basics

Your roof does a lot to protect your home.  As long as it keeps functioning properly, you will not need to worry much about moisture entering and causing damage.  To keep it this way, you will need to maintain your roof properly.  Here are the basics regarding roof maintenance.

If you have large trees near your home, then they can cause damage to your roof even if they do not fall over.  The branches may break away and scrape the shingles causing damage.  It is best for you to trim away branches which are overhanging your roof.

In addition to larger branches, smaller debris can also cause problems.  Twigs, leaves, and pine cones can build up on your roof over time.  Not only will they be an eyesore, but they will cause the shingles to break down faster than they normally would.  Therefore, periodically clean of your roof to keep this from happening. 

There are certain places where this type of debris will accumulate the most.  Debris cannot simply roll away on parts of the roof that are flat.  Satellite dishes and chimneys will also be a sticking place for debris.

When it comes to roof maintenance, you will also need to keep a check on the condition of your gutters.  They will cause damage to your roof if they become blocked allowing water to accumulate.  You should especially clean out your gutter during the fall.

During the winter, snow may also build up on your roof.  Ice may also form on the edges preventing water from draining away.  If snow builds up too much, the excess weight may cause your roof to collapse.  You will need to get up there and remove it to keep this from happening. 

You will need to be careful when walking on your roof during this time because it will be very slippery.  Even if your roof is not slippery, you should be careful when walking on it.  Certain areas may be weaker than others.

An important part of maintaining your roof is inspecting it periodically for problems.  This should be done at least on an annual basis.  Nearby trees can cause problems as mentioned earlier, so you may want to inspect it even more if you have a lot of them near your home.

Shingles may be cracked or missing entirely.  Any problems with the shingles will need to be fixed as soon as possible.  It is not always possible to notice damage beneath the shingles though.  You can take a look inside your attic to see if there are any visible problems like moisture building up.