Like the gutters, the roof works around the clock to keep a home’s exterior safe from the elements and the harmful effects of water damage. Wind, heavy rains, pollutants, and the sun can adversely impact a roofing system. But it’s not only environmental conditions: things that shorten the life of your roof include neglect, not cleaning the gutters, and foot traffic.
Poor Roof Maintenance Habits
Neglect is the number one cause of roof failure and the need for roof replacement. In order to function the way it should it is vital that the roofing system is kept in top-notch condition. Good home maintenance habits that focus on the extending the roof’s longevity include:
- Visual home inspections with each change of the season
- Having an inspection done by a professional roofing contractor once every two years
- Cleaning the roof before cleaning the gutters
- Making any required repairs in a timely fashion
Inspect the Roof after a Storm
A windstorm or a heavy rainstorm can do damage that might need immediate attention. Inspect the roof after any major storm has hit your area. Active weather conditions can cause missing roof shingles, clawing (centre of the shingle bulges upwards), and cupping (edges of tiles curl upwards).
Even if a storm doesn’t do any actual physical damage to the roof, it could leave a lot of debris behind. Once it stops raining, damp debris lying on top of shaded roofing shingles can encourage mould or mildew growth.
Sporadic Gutter Cleaning
While some homeowners view the gutters as a separate system of a home’s exterior, they are actually an integral part of the roofing system. How efficiently the gutters work directly affects how well the roof is protected. When gutter cleaning is done sporadically, clogs can form, preventing the water from properly draining out of the gutter system.
When the rainwater cannot flow around the blockage, it will spill over the sides, either down the siding or up into the soffit and the first row of roofing shingles. A few roofing tiles can be replaced if that’s the only issue. When water gets underneath the shingles and it’s not discovered for a while damage to the roof can include wood rot, mould growth, and structural damage. Cleaning the gutters regularly prevents these types of damage to the roof.
Forgetting to Trim Trees
Branches of trees that brush against the roof wear down roofing tiles.
They can also offer pests such as squirrels and raccoons easy access to your roof and then on into your attic or basement through holes or gaps in siding panels, soffit, and fascia.
Trimming trees back away from the roof keeps them healthy. And healthy trees are less likely to crash through the roof in a windstorm.
Letting Moss Grow on Shingles
It might seem like it’s just a cosmetic issue, but moss and algae growing on a roof can damage shingles or leave them unprotected from UV rays. Damp, organic materials sitting on tiles in a shaded area are the perfect recipe for mould and algae growth – they can eat through roof shingles, removing the protective granules that guard against the harmful effects of the sun.
Poor Attic Ventilation
Warm air rises and needs somewhere to go. Ideally, a well ventilated attic circulates air throughout the space and then releases it through vents or ventilated soffits. While a roofing system is designed to cope with the elements, including varying temperatures, trapped air as a result of poor attic ventilation causes the type of temperature fluctuation that can damage your roof.
Walking on the Roof
While walking on the does seem the fastest way to clean the gutters, check the chimney, or secure the inflatable of Santa in his sleigh, foot traffic can shorten the life of your roof. Especially if you have a low sloping roof, windows that access places someone can sit comfortably on a hot summer night can further stress a roofing system.
