Asphalt Roof Maintenance – 7 Tips to Take Care of Your Asphalt Shingle Roof
One of the most significant aspects of owning a home is maintaining your asphalt shingle roof. You can extend the life of your roof to serve you for many years with routine inspection and maintenance.
In this article, we share useful asphalt shingle roof maintenance tips to help homeowners properly maintain their asphalt shingle roofs.
Ready? Let’s dive in!
1. Trim Overgrown Branches Close to Your Roof
One effective roof maintenance hack is trimming overgrown branches close to your roof. Overgrown branches put your roof at risk of a variety of issues. Large branches that fall on the roof could break through the roof’s sheathing and into the attic, causing a lot of structural damage.
When a tree branch hangs over your roof, the needles, seeds, twigs, and leaves will fall on the roof, clogging the gutters. The tree can also house bugs that can easily jump on the roof and find their way into your home. Trim the tree or cut it down if it’s dropping too many leaves in the vicinity.
2. Replace Missing Or Damaged Shingles
Over time, you may discover cracked, curling, or missing shingles on your roof. If shingles need to be replaced, it’s preferable to engage a professional to do so before they cause leaks or other costly issues on your property.
If the metal flashing around your roof vents, chimneys, or other installations has become loose or rotten, the roofer can also replace it.
3. Clean the Gutters
Although gutters may not appear to be a crucial aspect of asphalt shingle roof maintenance, keeping the water moving can help maintain your roof. The gutters divert the water away from your roof and home.
When the gutters become clogged, the water is unable to flow and frequently backs up and pours over the gutters. It can get underneath your asphalt shingles and soak into the structure of your roof. This could result in rot, mold, and other issues.
Clean your roof’s gutters at least twice every year as part of your asphalt roofing care. If there are many trees on or near your home, you may need to clean the gutters more frequently to remove any debris.
4. Ensure the Roof’s Surface is Clean
The shingles are protected from the elements by a thin layer of mineral granules on the surface of an asphalt roof. If you allow dirt, branches, and leaves to accumulate on the roof, it will speed up the shedding process, which usually takes many years. Tree branches can scratch the granules away, and rotting leaves attract moisture, causing them to loosen and leak.
The easiest technique to keep these granules is to scrub the roof’s surface thoroughly. Just wash the surface with warm, soapy water.
5. Preventive Repairs
Scheduling and planning preventive maintenance for your asphalt roof is usually a good idea. This allows you to anticipate issues while they are still minor and easier to manage. Leaks can grow in size in a matter of weeks, but by performing preventive maintenance and repair, you can avoid costly repairs.
Fixing a problem when it’s small will save you time and money in the long run, and any reputable roofer will be able to perform minor shingle roof repairs.
6. Fix Problems As Soon As Possible
If you find damaged asphalt shingles during your inspection, act quickly to fix the problem. Moisture can seep into your roof through even one damaged shingle, causing major problems. Repairing the shingle as soon as possible will help to seal your roof and reduce the need for more costly repairs.
You can contact us for roof repairs in Miami rather than attempt to repair the asphalt shingle damage yourself. We have the tools and experience necessary to complete the job safely and correctly. Our team can also do a more in-depth check to see if there are any other problems that need to be fixed.
7. Moss Removal and Prevention
Moss appears to be harmless, but it has a habit of causing major issues over time. Moss holds moisture in place and shadows the roof, preventing it from drying out. Moss may swiftly degrade a roof if it grows in large amounts.
Clear off the moss on your roof using a scrub brush and scraper. Then rinse it off with water.
Moss thrives on shady roofs where moisture is an issue. Cut down any surrounding branches that shade the roof and remove or modify sprinklers that may get the roof wet regularly to prevent moss in the future.
Your asphalt shingle roof will eventually need to be replaced, but if you take good care of it, it will last for a long time with only a few issues. You can contact us to inspect your asphalt shingle roof and recommend the best steps to protect it and increase its lifespan.
We hope you find these asphalt shingle roof maintenance tips useful.
