How Can I Increase the Lifetime of my Roof Shingles?

Your roof is a critical component of your building, protecting you from inclement weather for decades at a time. As a home or business owner, you want to keep your roof in tip-top shape. To do this, you are likely wondering how to increase your roof shingles’ lifetime to ensure you get the most out of your roofing investments. To help you, we have compiled a list of eight methods to increase the lifetime of shingles.

8 Methods to Increase the Lifetime of Shinglesincrease shingle lifespan roofmaxx

#1: Perform Regular Inspections:

One of the easiest methods to extend the lifetime of your roof shingles is to perform regular inspections. Each season brings unique weather patterns and problems that your roof must face, from scorching sun to heavy hail to thick snow. We recommend popping up onto your roof after each season, or hardcore storm, to double-check there is no new damage and to get an annual inspection from a professional company once a year.

Two quick recommendations for DIY roof inspections:

First, take pictures! Remembering what the roof looked like three months later can be hard, but images reminding you of existing (or non-existent) problems in the past will help.

Second, never get up on the roof alone. Always have a buddy for safety’s sake! If you are unable to perform seasonal roofing inspections yourself, we recommend hiring a professional to do it for you.

#2: Clear Roof of Debris:

Any debris sitting or swirling around your roof has the potential to cause harm while also creating a messy aesthetic. We recommend cleaning your roof in the spring and fall. During your seasonal cleaning, you must include removing branches, moss, leaves, abandoned nests, or anything else that has made its way onto your roof.

P.S. If you do spot a nest, you can always wait until the babies hatch and fly away before tearing it out, as long as it doesn’t affect your roofing system. If the nest is located in an area that will be harmful to your roof system, you will need to move it.

#3: Clean Gutters:roofmaxx shingle repair experts

While cleaning the roof, you should also clean the gutters. If your gutters get clogged, water will pool at the edge of your roofing, which can cause severe damage. Prevent unnecessary damage by making gutter cleaning a bi-annual item on your to-do list.

#4: Trim Trees:

We all love sharing our space with Mother Nature, but that doesn’t mean we should let trees hang over our homes. Trees, while they provide shade, are also capable of incredible damage if they, or even their limbs, come crashing down on the roof. Therefore, we recommend trimming back your trees away from the roof. Bear in mind that you will want to trim to a point where they won’t grow back over the roof before the next trimming appointment.

P.S. Before you start cutting back your trees, you may want to speak with a professional arborist or tree trimmer to determine how, where, and when to trim them so as to not cause excessive damage. Trees are surprisingly delicate, so cut with caution.

#5: Avoid Ice Dams:

Ice dams are a serious concern for home and business owners in areas prone to cold winters, such as us in the Tri-Cities. Throughout the snowy season, you will want to prevent ice dams from building up to extend the lifespan of your roof shingles and gutter systems.

#6: Check Ventilation:

Expanding the lifespan of your roof shingles is more than just what we see from above; it also includes attic ventilation. You want the roof to be able to breathe; cool air coming in and hot air flowing out. To do this, we recommend checking on your roof ventilation twice a year. If something seems off, get your roof inspector up there to check it out.

#7: Fix Any Damage:

Roof damage, especially roof shingles damage, can escalate quickly if not properly taken care of immediately. What may seem like a small worry, like an exposed nail or a cracked shingle, can quickly become a leak or some other roofing disaster. Rather than fighting with an expensive, time-consuming roof problem due to procrastination, you should fix all problems right away.

#8: Get a Roof Maxx® Treatment:how to increase the longevity of your shingles

The Roof Maxx® treatment adds at least five years to the lifespan of your roof! The treatment seeps into dried-out shingles and rehydrates the asphalt with essential oil beads. By completing this treatment, you will restore flexibility so the shingle can contract and expand without breaking while reactivating the seal tabs on the shingles, helping to extend the waterproofing protection.

What does this mean in layman’s terms? Essentially, this process will:

  • Improve shingle pliability and flexibility
  • Improve the adhesion of the protective top coating
  • Restore the shingles to an almost-new state
  • Improve impact resistance from natural and humanmade forces
  • Maintain the level of fire resistance in the shingle

Save Time, Money, and Heartache with Roof Maxx

We at Roof Maxx make it our mission to save Tri-Cities roofs from ending up in landfills before their time while saving you time, money, and heartache. Our roof rejuvenation services prove that our roof treatments are safe, easy, proven, and an affordable alternative to a complicated, expensive, and life-disrupting asphalt roof replacement.

When you hire us, we follow a simple three-step process. We start with a detailed roof inspection, perform a tune-up for your entire roof, and then provide our specialized Roof Maxx Treatment. We are so sure of this treatment that we proudly warrant the asphalt shingles treated with Roof Maxx will perform as originally designed by the shingle manufacturer for at least five years after your treatment. If you would like to extend the lifespan of your roof, get a free estimate with us today!