Ten ways to prolong the life of your roof

[Skyle smith]

A properly installed roof can shield your home from the elements for many years. Even if you have a
standard asphalt shingle roof, you can expect to get 15­20 years out of it if you take care of it properly.
But a roof that isn’t well­maintained will deteriorate much more quickly whether it’s asphalt shingles,
cedar shakes, metal, or tile. Roofing experts recommend regular roof inspections—at least once each
year before winter and, if possible, a second time just after winter. When a roof inspection turns up any
signs of vulnerability, you should have them fixed by a professional roofer immediately.

Here are ten ways you can prolong the life of your roof.

1. Take a walk around the house. Many obvious signs of roofing damage can be spotted by
simply walking around your home looking for signs of damage. Look for shingles that have

cracked or have fallen off your roof.

2. Use a pair of binoculars from across the street. Sometimes, roof damage is less obvious. You
can often spot more damage by crossing the street and using a pair of binoculars to get a
closer look. Watch out for any cracked or warped shingles as they can let water through.

3. Keep an eye out for algae or mold. Algae or mold will appear like dark spots on your roof. Even
if your roof is a darker color, you should be able to spot algae or mold if you look closely. Algae
is especially damaging as it retains water and shortens the life of your roof.

4. Make sure your roofing seams are aligned. If you have a metal roof, check that your seams are
aligned so that nothing can get through.

5. Inspect your chimney closely. Make sure that your chimney doesn’t have any missing or
damaged bricks and that no vegetation is growing in the cracks. Your chimney is a vulnerable
area where water can get through if it’s not in top shape.

6. Don’t forget to inspect your rain gutters. Your rain gutters are an important part of your roofing
system. Make sure they aren’t rusted or clogged. Check the fascia as well because a clogged
rain gutter could lead to water spilling over and damaging it.

7. Look for any openings to your attic space. Make sure rodents and other pests aren’t getting
into your attic space through any openings.

8. Inspect the underside of your roof from your attic space. Head to your attic with a good
flashlight and look for signs of water damage and pest infestations.

9. Check the flashing around skylights, vents, and the chimney. Around your skylights, vents, and
chimney, you’ll have an underlayer of metal flashing. Make sure it’s in good shape.

10. Take care of low hanging branches. Finally, trim back any low hanging branches as they can
brush across your shingles on a windy day causing them to lose their granules prematurely.

Home improvement news brought to you by bartonroof.com

Source: yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/ways­to­keep­a­good­roof­over­your-
head/article_1247928c­32f7­50fd­9145­bb7b6d6b4d8e.html