How Can I Extend the Roof Life on My Home?

Looking to extend the roof life on your home and maximize the ROI? The team at Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island can help! Before we dive into the key steps you can take to extend the roof life on your home, it's important you understand the factors that can determine how long your roof lasts. These factors include:

The type of roofing materials used in its construction,
The quality of the roofing materials used,
The quality and craftsmanship of the installation, and
The attention given to routine maintenance through the years.

Some roof materials, such as modified bitumen, last just 10-15 years. Asphalt shingles, depending on quality, have a lifespan ranging between 15 and 40 years. Concrete tiles can last up to 50-60 years. Slate roofs have been known to last for 100+ years.

While you may have less control over some factors, you can 100% control how well you care for your roof. Let's look at a few proactive steps you can take to extend the roof life on your home and how the team at Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island can help.

Seasonal Gutter Cleaning Can Extend the Roof Life

When debris accumulates in your gutters, it sets up a dangerous situation for your roof. Clogged gutters can lead to water collecting and potential water damage via water seeping underneath shingles, valleys, skylights and vents. Once your roof experiences water damage, the stage is set for mold growth, structural decay and insulation damage.

Dampness due to gutters not functioning correctly most often lead to mold, as well as attract insects and other pests able to cause roof damage. Having your gutters cleaned professionally is always the better choice. That way, you’ll know if there’s any gutter misalignment or damage that needs to be repaired for optimum gutter functioning.

This routine maintenance task should be done at the very least twice a year to help extend roof life. However, some homes have more trees and other gutter impacting factors to consider.

Some years have more turbulent weather than others. Such factors can result in the gutters needing additional cleanings to function as they should. Just look around after a late windy summer afternoon thunderstorm and see the incredible amount of debris everywhere. A gutter cleaning service plan can make more frequent gutter cleanings more affordable.

Add Gutter Protection to Extend the Life of the Roof on Your Home

Adding gutter protection can reduce the number of annual gutter cleanings while helping to preserve the function of your gutters. Precision angled perforations stamped into metal screens that allow larger debris to be washed away as the water flows into the gutters.

Working to prevent gutter clogging and keep water on its correct course, these gutter protectors help to reduce splashing so water has less of an opportunity to get underneath shingles. Their design also helps strengthen gutters by making them more rigid, helping reduce damage from wet leaves, twigs and other matter. Protecting your gutters can help to protect your roof.

Ice Dam Removal Protects Your Roof

Ice dam removal is a critical task that can help extend the roof life of your home. This important roof maintenance task is one that should always be left to experienced professionals with the proper safety equipment. Ice, water, a ladder and the roof are a dangerous mix for the inexperienced.

During the winter, daytime sun and the heat of the home can cause snow and ice to melt on the roof. The resulting water can be dammed by thicker, slower to melt layers of ice or snow, leaving a standing pool of water on your roof. That can cause a lot of damage, including wood rotting, roof leaks and insulation damage.

Icicles are often a warning sign that a problem may be developing. However, once those icicles form a mass that covers your gutters, the odds are strong that there is a problem that needs to be promptly addressed. Aside from the damage that ice mass does to the gutters themselves, the conditions are ripe for water to collect behind that ice barrier.

And, as everyone that has experienced winter around here knows, it can be quite a while before temperatures rise enough to melt down that ice barrier and let the water produced by the thinner layers of ice and snow melting escape. Extend roof life by dealing with ice dams promptly.

Wash Your Roof For Additional Protection

Over time, moss, lichen, algae and other organisms can grow on your roof. This is especially true for homes with North facing roofs and shady settings. While this naturally occurring growth can lead to unsightly stains that can potentially detract from the value of your home, those stains aren’t the biggest problem. The moss, lichen and other organisms grow on your roof because they are nourished by the organic materials used in the construction of your shingles and roof.

Left undisturbed, they’ll keep growing, gradually eating away at your roof, creating more opportunity for water to seep in and do its inevitable damage. As that water seeps in, it creates a moist environment that can let mold take root. Keeping your roof clean with professional roof washing eliminates the problem, helping to preserve both the look and function of your roof over the long-term.

Contact Us for Assistance Extending the Roof Life on Your Home

When it comes to the best way to extend the roof life on your home, you have an entire team of support at Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island. We offer a full catalog of services designed to help extend the roof life on your home while saving you time and money, so you can confidently keep your feet on the ground.

Erika Cruz

Erika began her career at Ned Stevens in September 2009 after 4 years of managing investment portfolios for banks and credit unions. She graduated with her business degree in Management in May of 2016 while working Full-time at Ned Stevens. With 11 years of gutter expertise, as office manager she is in charge of the day to day operation and is fully dedicated to her staff and customers.