When you buy a new home, you get a lot of new responsibilities that come with it that you’ve never had before – and maybe never even had to think about before. And we’re not just talking about things like mowing your lawn and repairing your own appliances when they break – it includes things like roof maintenance too.
If you’ve never thought about it before, you probably never realized that a roof is a part of your house that requires care to keep working the way it should. After all – it is the first line of defense in keeping the elements out of your home!
Back int he days of thatched roofs, they’d have to make sure their roofs didn’t have any families of critters living in them, and they had to replace the hay regularly to keep it from leaking or getting musty. Today, it’s not nearly as hard – but it is as important. Roof maintenance is one of the most important parts of keeping a home. If you don’t maintain your roof, you can end up with leaks, which lead to water damage in your home, or you can get critters making nests, or worse.
To help you out, here is a basic guide to roof maintenance for new homeowners, put together by real estate agent Michael John.
And if you need more help with other aspects of being a new homeowner, check out some of my other blog posts for some guidance. And if you need help BECOMING a new homeowner, please don’t hesitate to reach out – I’ll be happy to help you find and get into the home of your dreams!
Roof Maintenance Basics
If you just bought a house for the first time, it’s going to be very important for you to take good care of every aspect of it. But it’ll be especially important for you to perform the proper roof maintenance.
Installing a new roof on a home can cost anywhere from $11,000 to $17,000 on average. So you should do whatever it takes to extend the life of your roof and avoid having to replace it anytime soon.
Check out some roof maintenance tips that will make maintaining a roof a breeze for you below.
Begin by Inspecting Your Roof From Time to Time
Every so often, new homeowners should get into the habit of taking a step back from their houses and looking up at their roofs. You can tell a lot about a roof simply by inspecting it from ground level.
See if there are any shingles missing from your roof or any flashing that appears to be withering away. If you spot any signs of trouble, you’ll know that you need to have your house roof repaired in some way.
Remove Sticks, Leaves, and Other Debris From Your Roof
Over time, it’s not uncommon for things like sticks, leaves, and all kinds of other debris to build up on top of a home. As part of your roof maintenance plan, you should remove these things from your roof as soon as possible when you see them building up.
Additionally, you should trim back any trees that hang over the top of your home to stop them from dropping debris onto your roof. By taking these steps, you’ll prevent debris from damaging your roof or inviting moisture to gather on it.
Keep Your Gutters Clear to Prevent Them From Harming Your Roof
When you think about the importance of roof maintenance, you might not think that your home’s gutters have anything to do with it. But clearing out your gutters at least once or twice a year will help you with your residential roof maintenance.
If your gutters fill up with debris, they won’t be able to move the rainwater away from your home safely. This water will often back up onto your roof and cause issues with it.
Generally speaking, it’s a good idea for most homeowners to clean out their gutters every fall after the leaves are done falling off the trees. It’ll stop them from clogging up your gutters and creating problems with your roof.
Put Roof Maintenance at the Top of Your To-Do List
Most residential roofs are designed to last for a long time. You can usually get at least 20 years out of them before they’ll need to be replaced.
And remember, if you feel like you can’t take care of your roof yourself, you can always call a roofing contractor to help!
Doing roof maintenance can help your roof last even longer than it might otherwise. With just a little bit of effort on your part, you can keep your roof strong for many years to come.
