Your roof plays an essential role in protecting your house and those that reside in it. It’s the first line of defense against the elements, and every part of the roof plays an essential role in making sure that your home is protected from the exterior environment. From your shingles to the underlayment, it’s essential to keep your roof healthy and inspected; otherwise, you can expect a future full of expensive repairs. There are many mistakes that homeowners make regarding their roofs, so we’ve decided to highlight them to ensure they don’t happen to you. Keep your roof healthy by avoiding these 4 things:
1. Choosing Repairs Over Replacement
One of the top things you want to avoid in order to keep your roof healthy is choosing repairs over replacement. Choosing to replace some shingles rather than fully committing to a roof replacement can actually turn out to be more expensive. In the long run, you’re doing more harm to your home with a fast fix. When people repair their shingles, they nail new shingles over old ones, which is another aspect of repairs that will make things worse than intended. By doing this, there is no proper seal, and water can easily creep into the roofing system, causing damage and leading to more complex, expensive repairs.
While repairing your roof may seem like the best option, keep in mind that it could very well end up causing more damage at the end of the day. Roof replacements are a big investment, but they will last for decades and end up being significantly cheaper than trying to repair the damage from shoddy repair jobs.
2. Not Hiring a Professional Roof Installer
Just because you can replace or repair part of your shingle roofing doesn’t mean you should. Your roof plays a significant role in protecting your house, and if you’re not highly experienced with roofing systems, you could be putting your home at serious risk of water damage. When not addressed immediately, water damage could lead to structural and foundational issues, causing highly invasive and expensive repairs.
3. Cleaning Your Roof with a Pressure Washer
Many homeowners make the mistake of thinking that washing their roofs with a pressure washer is a good idea. Unfortunately, pressure washing your roof is a big mistake. The high water pressure from the machine can damage your shingle. Your roof is designed to handle the elements, such as rain—not high-pressure waterfalls! If your roof has algae growth (which commonly forms in shaded areas), you can skip the pressure washer and use a hose and a chemical mix to cleanse your roof of algae.
4. Avoiding Regular Roof Inspections
When was the last time you got on your roof and inspected it? If it’s been longer than a year, it’s definitely time to check it out as soon as possible. The best decision you can make is to have it inspected by a roofing professional. There may be unseen damage or needed repairs within your roofing system that only a professional can identify. Frequent roof inspections are essential to prevent water damage in replacing your roof at the optimal time.
Maintaining a healthy roof isn’t difficult when you know what to look out for and what to avoid. We hope this blog helped you see what you should and should not do regarding your roof. If your roof has reached its expiration date and needs to be replaced, the skilled team at CGH Solutions® is here to help! Contact us today by calling (844) 200-6244 or clicking here!
