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The roof of our home protects us from the elements come rain or shine, storm or sunshine and yet is a part of our home we often neglect to maintain. Over the years our roof takes a battering from storms, debris, wildlife and even plants which can lead to damage and ultimately costly repairs. It’s important that you make sure to take of your roof – whether it’s a traditional tile roof or whether you have gone through with installing metal roofs. This will keep you safe and dry in your property and boost your home’s curb appeal. So whether you’re looking to extend the life of your roof or are wanting to ensure your home is in a good condition to sell, then here’s how to properly maintain the roof of your home.
Keep it clean
Look up at the rooftops of houses around you – how clean are they? Usually, it’s fairly obvious which homes have had their roofs cleaned compared to those that have not and it’s not been done purely for aesthetic reasons. Cleaning debris such as twigs, leaves, and moss from your roof makes it much easier to spot any roof damage that could lead to a leak and also discourages wildlife from setting up home amongst your roof tiles. To clean debris from your roof wait for a calm day and ascend an extending ladder though if you aren’t comfortable at heights it may be worth calling in the professionals.
Have it inspected professionally
One of the reasons why the roof of our home is often neglected is that it tends to be fairly inaccessible and it can be unsafe to climb up and perform inspections ourselves. To avoid leaving years between roof inspections or worse, only having someone inspect your roof once the damage has already been done, call out specialist roof repair services one a year to give it a thorough check-up and to advise on any repairs that may need to be made before they begin causing problems. The cost of an annual roof check-up and the odd job that may need doing may seem expensive, but in the long run it could save you from needing to fork out for a whole new roof which can often easily cost thousands.
Keep moss and mold at bay
Moss and mold just love to grow up high on the roof but once they start to take hold they can cause further problems. Moss, in particular, can grow roots beneath your roof tiles, damaging their integrity and causing leaks, and it can also easily become dislodged in a storm causing guttering to become blocked. Moss can be removed manually by using a pressure washer which will blast off the moss from where it is rooted, and it can also be killed using a special moss killer that can be sprayed onto the roof surface. To keep the moss at bay in the future, keep your roof clear of debris and if you have a big moss problem then consider using Zinc strips which release a compound whenever it rains keeping moss at bay for up to a year.
Maintaining the roof of your home doesn’t need to be a difficult task and with just these simple steps could save you a lot of money over the lifetime of your home.
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How come you are now giving advise on home maintenance instead of painting advice for which I signed up for?
Our Real Estate agent, that sold us our home, told us that workmen walking on your tile roof will break your tiles. He had worked for a company that tent and fumigates home when he was young. He advised us against buying a home with a tile roof. I had wanted one up until that point in time. Sure enough, when our neighbors sold their home with a tile roof and it was fumigated, I heard the workmen tenting the home ask each other how many tiles they broke walking on that roof, That new homeowner had to put on a new tile roof after only a few years of living in that home.