The worst enemy of a roof is lack of care. Many homeowners do not understand that roofs need ongoing preventative maintenance.

Homeowners feel like they are maintaining their property by keeping up on yardwork or even doing interior updates and remodels, even exterior painting. But what about the roof? Most homeowners would tell you they have never maintained their roof because they just did not know they needed to do it.

When it comes time to sell your property, real estate brokers often have the unenviable task of explaining that the roof needs replacing or costly repair. We are validated by structural inspectors who in almost every inspection call out some issue with the roof. How do homeowners minimize this to potentially avoid expensive costs?

There are tips all over the internet on how to maintain your roof. We have reviewed many of them and came up with what we think are the top tips on helping you get the most out of your roof and your wallet.

How does my roof get damaged? The main culprit is moss. Moss damages asphalt shingles by absorbing water and keeping it moist for long periods of time. Moss also pulls up the edges of shingles, which can make them vulnerable in strong winds.

The second most damaging effect on roofs is the gutters – or more accurately, not cleaning out gutters. Leaves and debris fill gutters, clogging them, and water seeps up into the roof underlayment, causing damage not only to the shingles but to the plywood beneath the underlayment barrier.

And the third is overhanging tree branches. Besides dropping leaves, needles and twigs onto the roof (and even potentially large branches that can cause major damage), tree branches also shade the roof. Constant shade is a breeding ground for moist moss.

Tips to Maintain Your Roof

Spray Your Roof Regularly

We have had good results with Lilly Miller ‘Moss-Out!’ for Roofs and Walks. We use it in a pressure sprayer and apply to roofs twice each year (living in the Northwest where moss is common).
One note, make sure before you use the spray that your gutters are attached correctly to downspouts and the downspouts drain properly into drains or away from plants. This product will damage plants.

We do not recommend zinc or copper strips or powders. These all do not coat the roof evenly and they tend to leave unpleasant permanent streaking on the roof, making it look bad when marketing your home for sale.

Some new roofing materials are now algae-resistant, which should reduce the amount of spraying you should do, especially in the first years of installation.

Clean Your Roof
Don’t do this yourself if you are not able. Hire someone to clean your roof, removing moss, brushing leaves out of crevices, and cleaning out gutters. This is best done after you have sprayed the roof and allowed moss to die off. It can then be brushed away. Do NOT pressure wash the roof! This can be damaging to the shingles. Some professional roof cleaners can use pressure washers effectively but consult with them first to make sure they know what they are doing.

Trim Away Tree Branches
Trees often are responsible for moss on roofs, by shielding the roof from sunlight and allowing moss to grow. Trees also shed leaves, needles and branches, clogging gutters and gathering in roof crevices. Where possible, make sure to keep trees and bushes away from roofs.

Have Your Roof Inspected
You can start by taking binoculars and examining your roof. This can shed light on obvious damage to shingles and show areas of moss building up. A roofing contractor can also conduct an inspection on your roof.

But to be thorough – and if you are considering selling your home – have a roof inspection done. A roofer can tell you where likely problems areas are located. Loose or damaged shingles, crevices where roofs adjoin, and areas around chimneys and vents are the most common points of interest.

A roofer will also point out areas of the roof where problems may appear. One of these sometimes is where siding meets a portion of the roof, typically from a second story. The siding should be an inch above the roof shingles so there is not contact. If there is, it is one more place for water to reside, eventually damaging siding.

All in all, it comes down to maintaining your property by consistent upkeep and inspection.

One last note: Roofers can be very hard to contact in busy seasons. Call well ahead of time. And ask your Realtor® for a recommendation. We do this all the time, and we are here to help you!

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