Avoid Turning Roof Maintenance Into Roof Maiming With These 4 Tips

What does tarping your roof after a storm, giving the roof a good cleaning each fall, and walking on the roof to inspect it have in common? They’re all a lot more hazardous than they sound — and not just for the person doing the work. These are just a few roof projects that can result in severe damage to the roof if done by inexperienced personnel.

Here’s how you can avoid unintentional roof maiming when you just try to do what’s best for your roof.

1. Be Aware of Common Mistakes

You’ve likely heard that shading your roof can help reduce UV damage and minimize the heat transferred through the roof down into your home. But if you’re not also aware of the damage trees can do when nearby, you could end up putting a tree way too close to your roof where it could eventually cause expensive damage.

Other common mistakes homeowners often make with roof care include:

• Pressure washing the roof
• Not trimming trees back from the roof
• Cleaning gutters too infrequently 
• Scrubbing off moss 
• Hosing the roof off from below
• Walking on the roof

Educating yourself on these common roof care mistakes and why they’re harmful can help you avoid making the same problematic choices.

2. Know What Your Roof Needs and Make a Plan

You probably know that willful neglect is an easy way to accidentally damage your roof. But a similar effect can crop up if you make a good faith effort to care for your roof and simply aren’t aware of everything it needs.

Different types of roofing materials require different types of maintenance, and some roofs have individualized maintenance needs as well. For example, if you have a turbine fan, it may need cleaning and lubricating. If you have a skylight, it will need regular inspection and leak checks, as well as potential resealing or re-flashing. 

Be sure to have regular comprehensive roof inspections. Discuss your roof’s overall condition with your roofing company at each visit, and develop a maintenance schedule that covers all your roof’s needs so you won’t accidentally harm your roof by neglecting some of its maintenance requirements.

3. Choose Maintenance Personnel Wisely

If a family member or local handyman offers to clean your roof on the cheap, it may be tempting to take them up on the offer. But remember, even just walking on the roof can damage it if the person is inexperienced. This applies to not just shingle roofs but also tile roofs. The tiles could crack, chip, or even slide out of place if they’re already loose.

Choose a reputable roofing company with well-trained employees who know how to both walk on the roof gently and complete maintenance and repair tasks without causing damage.  

4. Don’t Fall for Storm Chasers

After a large storm has hit your area and ripped off a few shingles, you may find someone knocking on your door and offering to tarp your roof or even completely repair or replace it. However, sticking with your regular roofing company is a much better choice, even if they’re booked solid because of the storm and can’t come out for a few days.

That’s because the people who knock on your door after a storm tend to be less reputable and not as well trained. In some cases, they could be downright dishonest. The work they do may seem reasonably priced but is likely to only last a very few years (if that) before needing replacement again. And in some cases, they could even create roof damage.  Worst of all, storm chasers move on – just when you need warranty service, you find out their number is disconnected and their license (if they had one) is inactive.

These tips can help you care for your roof without accidentally causing or worsening any damage. SUNVEK is always ready to partner with you in responsible, expert roof care. To learn more about the roof maintenance, repair, and replacement services we offer, get in touch today for a free estimate.