by Sue A. Sponte

Created on: March 12, 2011   Last Updated: March 14, 2011

Roof repairs can be costly, and a leaking roof can cause damage deep into the house if water is travelling down walls and into interior ceilings. Although a roof will not last forever, periodic maintenance will help to make it last longer and can prevent damage to the interior of the house.

One of the most basic maintenance tasks for any roof is to ensure that the roof is free of any accumulated debris. Leaves, dirt, moss, and twigs will slowly attract more of the same. Eventually, that build-up will begin to retain water and dampness. Although a roof is great at keeping the elements out, roofing materials are not designed to be wet constantly. Perpetual dampness will shorten the life of the roof and can cause some of the materials, such as rubber flashing around vent pipes, to decay. Chimneys, vents, fans, air conditioning units and valleys can all attract these little piles of debris, and should be kept clean as much as possible.

Next, inspect any nearby bushes or trees to ensure that branches are not touching the roof. Add a slight margin of error to account for any growth between maintenance checks and also to allow the branches to bend with the wind. When branches rub against the roof they wear down the materials and can dislodge shingles, leading to leaks and interior damage. Branches touching the roof also provide a route for pests, ranging from termites and ants up to squirrels, to gain access to the roof and the wood under the roof. By trimming back branches, a homeowner can help keep those pests away from the roof and prolong its life.

Careful attention to the gutters will also prolong the life of a roof. Gutters and downspouts exist to route water away from the roof. When they clog or are not draining well, that water remains near the eaves and can eventually rot the wood or affect the shingles themselves. In colder climates, clogged gutters can also result in ice dams in the downspouts and gutters which can damage the roof by putting too much weight on the edge of it, or can result in water damage to the edge of the roof.

A slightly less obvious maintenance tip is to check the flashing for soundness. Flashing is a term used to describe layers of the roof that provide an additional barrier between the roof and the shingles. Frequently, whenever an object sticks up through the roof there is flashing around it. Without the flashing, the shingles would just come up to the edge of the object (chimneys and vent pipes, for instance) and there would be a small gap where water could slip in and seep into the house. The flashing molds itself to the chimney or other object and overlaps with the singles to provide a barrier to water entry. But flashing can deteriorate over time (if it is rubber) and can slowly warp, rust, or separate if it is metal. Water intrusion into the house will almost certainly follow.

After checking all of the above, a quick check of the caulking around the roof will finish off the maintenance check. Using a wire brush, remove any caulk that has cracked or pulled away from the roof. After removing the old caulk, apply a generous seam of fresh roof caulk to any seam or area where roofing materials touch against each other.

Roof maintenance need not be a nightmare, and by checking every six months a homeowner can apply the ounce of prevention that makes a major roof or interior repair unnecessary. Keeping the roof clean, dry, and well maintained will help it last for the twenty to thirty years that it was designed to last.

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