Are you protecting your roof?
Homeowners don’t want a damaged roof. But there are several things you could be doing that may be shortening the length of your roof’s life without even knowing it.
Don’t do any of these things unless you want to buy a new roof – tomorrow!
Allow a Gutter Garden to Bloom
This is not pretty. This may cause your roof to fail and water to back up into your house. Yikes!
Instead, enjoy your neighbors’ gutter gardens and beautiful fall leaves stuffed into their gutters. Gutter guards work wonders for keeping these invasive problems from arising.
Ignore Missing Shingles
“Ah, it will be fine.” Famous last words of a homeowner before the water started dripping into his living room. Stop staring at your phone all the time and look up at your roof once in a while. One or two missing shingles can be fixed easily – but if you ignore it, you could be looking at a partial or full roof replacement that could have been avoided.
Hanging Out On Your Roof
Most people want extra room in their homes. But don’t turn your roof into a hangout. Walking around on your roof can cause damage. It can also cause extra wear on the granules on an asphalt roof. Nothing says party foul like someone falling off or into your roof.
Ignore Overhanging Branches
Or better yet, climb up on the roof and hang pretty lights from them (just kidding!) Keep trees trimmed at least six feet away from your home. Not only will this minimize damage from falling branches during storms, but it also will keep your roof from being part of the tree “highway” for animals. While it’s wonderful to get to watch squirrels and our trash panda friends frisk and play, it’s not so great when they’re doing so in the insulation in your roof. By trimming branches back, you discourage animals from making a home.
Use Power Tools On Your Roof
Don’t ever drill holes in your roof for any reason. Even if it is to attach a satellite dish, flag pole, or Christmas lights. The root of the problem is water. Roofs are the magic that keeps your house dry when the rain and snow come. A good roof is a complicated system of many layers of protection including the felt underlayment, ice and water protector, roof shingles, and flashing. Damage to any of these components can create a cascade of leaks and eventual water damage. Even tiny holes can make big problems in the long run, leading to expensive repairs.
Related: Attaching to a Shingle Roof: Do’s and Don’ts
Using a Pressure Washer
We get it. You want to clean your roof. But if you keep using a pressure hose to clean the shingles, that could actually lead to extensive damage. The pressure could hurt your roof or even compromise the material of your roof. Different materials have different cleaning methods. Consult with and hire a professional roofing contractor to clean the roof instead. Pros have the knowledge, gear, and equipment to ensure the roof isn’t damaged in any way.
Related: Roof Shingle Repair Mistakes to Avoid
Protecting Your Roof Wrap Up
Now that you know what NOT to do for your roof, you can safely maintain your roof for years to come. And when you do find yourself in need of a roofing company – call Weather Vane Roofing in mid-Michigan.
About Weather Vane Roofing
We provide roofing, siding, insulation, windows, and gutters. Making your house beautiful and efficient is our main goal. We use the latest in technology and products to provide eco-friendly and cost-effective solutions for your home and business. With locations in Lansing, Owosso, and Brighton/Howell we are Mid-Michigan’s roofing experts. Let us transform your house into a home.
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