You know that roofs are expensive, and if there is anything you can do to prevent the need to replace yours sooner than expected, you should definitely take the time to do it. Cleaning and maintaining your shingles will help extend their lifespan while giving your home a fresh look. There are certain steps you can take to maintain your shingles, but if you feel fearful of an accident while doing so, a roofing professional can take care of this chore for you.
To start at the right spot, walk around the property and take a look at the roof while you walk. Determine where large areas of discoloration are present, where there are sunken areas, and where shingles are clearly missing. You may have some rotten plywood underneath those sections. Use a pair of binoculars to get a better look.
Algae or Moss
If you discover dark or green fuzzy areas, you may have algae or moss on your roof. By cleaning it off you will help extend the life of the shingles. The presence of moss means that shingles’ edges may curl up and become much more likely to blow off aided by windy conditions. On the other hand, if the problem is algae, although the shingles will not be harmed, their performance can be affected.
Although it may be tempting to spray your roof with a cleaning solution, remember that when it reaches the ground, it may result in harm to your landscaping. Water and cover all plants prior to cleaning the roof.
Cleaning the Roof
Doing a thorough roof cleaning is something you should leave to professional Portland roofers. It’s not worth risking an injury and, in the process, damaging the roof, trying to do this yourself. Also, don’t attempt to pressure wash your roof since the force of the water may detach some shingles and damage others.
Chlorine bleach is powerful enough to take care of all moss and algae spores. It is applied mixed with water to a roof that has previously been hosed down. The mix of bleach and water should be allowed to remain on the roof for some 20 minutes to give it enough time to work. Then it needs to be rinsed out with water. If any leftover pieces of moss remain on the roof, they can be brought down with the help of a leaf blower.
Some Housekeeping
There are some things you can do to maintain your roofing shingles. Make it a point to look up at the roof periodically to detect any changes. Clean leaves from the roof and gutters. Don’t be tempted to use the leaf blower to do this since blowing air the wrong way can push the leaves and debris underneath the shingles, making it impossible to take them out later and weakening the roof.
If large trees are growing too close to the roof, trim their branches. A large tree branch that is constantly scraping the top of your roof will remove the granules off asphalt shingles and loosen some as well. Once again, don’t take unnecessary risks and call a professional to do this job if the branches are too thick or too high for you to reach easily. These actions can make your roof last much longer.
