In order to make your shingle roof last longer, you’ll need to take care of it. That means getting your hands dirty and performing an annual inspection (at least), or hiring someone in to do the job for you. You will need to find any problems in the early stages of their development in order to resolve them quickly and bank balance-friendly, and that’s just what regular assessments or inspections of the roof will allow you to achieve. Shingle roofs should be checked a minimum of once per year. Ideally, this will be in the fall. If you live in an area where there are a lot of trees, you may need to increase the number of inspections to two or three. This is mostly to ensure that guttering doesn’t become blocked before winter hits, temperatures drop, and ice dams have a chance to form. We also recommend inspecting your roof after bad weather, especially if it comes with high winds, hailstones, a lot of rain, or freezing temperatures.



Any damage that you see on your roof should be attended to immediately. If you see shingles that have curled up at the edges, have distorted into a bulging-out shape, or are flat-out broken, you should aim to get them repaired as soon as you can. If the damage has been caused by a storm, you should call up your home insurance company. Some or all of your roof repairs might be covered by your policy, and that will certainly make your bank manager a lot happier. Trees that are close to the house or overhang the roof should be trimmed back each year. If the branches come into contact with the roof, damage can be caused, and this is definitely the case if they are bashed together at some force. This can happen with high winds and storms. Any debris that lands on the roof, even something as insignificant as leaves and small twigs, should be removed. This can cause shadowed, cool spots on the roof which in turn, leads to moss and algae growth. Thankfully, you can install copper or zinc-based strips at the top of the roof to deter future growth, but the existing stuff will need to be removed regularly. It adds extra wet weight to the roof. Enough of it can cause the structure to become weak and even collapse or sag.

Check the ventilation. Is your roof ventilated properly? Does it always feel a little damp or humid up in your attic? If you never head up into your attic apart from when you need to get the Christmas decorations down, you may wish to up your visits to a few more times a year. Rats in the attic aren’t usually covered by your home insurance policy because it is an easily avoided problem with regular home and good hygiene. That’s definitely a problem you’ll want to resolve ASAP, especially when they’re causing problems that you may need to pay for yourself.

Consider professional cleaning and coating. These two things combined can make an old roof look virtually brand new, and the process could even increase the market value of the home, which is great if you're thinking of moving soon. Above all else, make sure that you don't ignore problems that could be very costly to put right later on. The best way to extend the life of your roof, particularly when your'e talking about shingles, is to have it regularly inspected and repaired if necessary.

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