Pretty often, when we consider renovating a part of our home, we tend to think about the interior of the home, just based on the fact that the interior is the place of our homes that we spend the most time in. But consider this – how much do you love the feeling of coziness while sitting in your home while there is a rainstorm or snowstorm outside, while your dry home is protecting you? Well, you surely know where I’m going with this, and yes, your roof plays a vital role in that, and we tend to take it for granted. That can certainly change if your roof suddenly starts leaking or as it gets damaged, and on that note, to prevent that inconvenient surprise from happening, here are a few useful tips for the maintenance of your roof.

General Inspection

Now, first of all, the first step in the good maintenance of your roof is performing a general inspection regularly. It will not cost you anything, and it isn’t going to cost you anything, and yet it is crucial. Just climb up there and look for any possible problems. Are there any shingles that are lifted, tilted, or even perhaps missing? Is the flashing loose, or missing? How about the gutters, are they sagging or broken? Is there anything piling up?
If you have indeed spotted anything as the examples mentioned, you should fix whatever the problem you encountered, and for more info, you should do more in-depth research in order to eliminate the problems the right way. If there isn’t anything wrong, you know that everything is well, and can proceed to the other tips in order to keep your roof in the best shape.

Cleaning the Gutters

No roof maintenance tips list would be complete without this one. Even though, I admit, it’s a dirty job, cleaning out your gutters truly is an essential part of maintaining your roof. Clogged gutters make it easy for water to crawl under your roof’s structure, creating more than just a few water stains. Most experts recommend cleaning them out twice a year.

Look for Moss

Now, moss is naturally occurring, and while it’s growth does depend on certain variables such as weather (moisture, how much does it rain, direct sunlight) and the materials used for your roof, it is pretty easy to get rid of it. It is not per se dangerous, but moss can lead to moisture and even leaking in your roof. If you have spotted some moss during the general inspection, gently spray the roof moss remover and cleaner on affected areas. Follow the specific cleaner’s instructions to wait for the solution to do its work. Once it’s done, gently brush away the moss and mold. It is not advised to use anything that can damage the shingles, like, for instance power washer or a hard brush.

Look for Leaks

While we have mentioned leaks before, we will now discuss how to look for them in more depth. You should be checking your ceilings and attic just as regularly as the roof itself for water damage in order to prevent any serious issues. The most common warning signs of a leak are the water stains on your ceiling, but you should also look for spots on your exterior walls. If you can smell musty odors in certain rooms, the probability is high that you are dealing either with leaking or with moisture problems due to improper insulation. One more sign to look for is if you can find bulging patches on any of your interior walls.
Also, it is important to inspect the attic ceiling. Damaged, moldy insulation, stained boards, and ceiling panels or discolored sheetrock help you detect leaks. Call a roofer immediately if you notice any of these signs.

Are There any Overhanging Branches?

This might sound like an obvious tip, but it is nonetheless important to mention it. If there are any overhanging tree branches over your roof, you might just be one good storm away from those branches crashing into your roof. Trim overhanging tree limbs!

Don’t Forget to Check Your Chimney

Make sure that you check out your chimney for cracks or missing mortar. Structural damage of any size can cause bricks to start falling out, which can damage your roof and cause your chimney to collapse. So, you can either hire a professional to patch up any mortar cracks or break out a trowel and do it yourself.
Well, we’re at the end of these tips, and as long as you follow this advice, you surely aren’t going to have any preventable problems with your roof.