Your roof is one of the biggest investments you will make in a home. So it makes sense to install the best and most durable roof shingles for the job, such as Atlas and Tamko. However, there are still plenty of ways to extend your roof’s lifetime, and get the most out of your money. Here are 5 ways to extend the life of your roof.

Maintain Gutters

Gutters typically aren’t the most heavily focused portion of a roof, but their function still remains vital. They have the job of ensuring that there is good flow for debris from the top of the roof down to the bottom of the home without any damage to the surrounding grounds. However, this means that a lot of debris flows through the gutters, often resulting in clogs. To prevent clogging buildup, routinely clear your gutters for debris once every few months. If you don’t feel comfortable standing on a ladder to reach the gutters, contact our roofing service to help you.

Trim Nearby Branches

Trees are beautiful and provide shade, but they can also be responsible for shortening the life of your roof. For instance, leaves that fall onto the roof and stay there cause moisture to get trapped underneath, drastically increasing the chances of water damage. Even more dangerous is the threat of large branches falling and damaging your roof during a storm. While most branches may be small,  the cumulative damage over time will be significant. To avoid this, avoid having branches that hover over your roof, and trim whatever branches that do. 

Ventilate the Attic

The outside of your home isn’t the only place where factors come into play, the interior of your home matters too! Specifically, the area underneath your home, the attic, where proper ventilation is paramount to ensure that cool air enters the attic and warm, humid air can escape. Too much moisture will result in mold that can damage the insulation as well as the roof. It also saves money on cooling bills, for trapping hot air in the attic can overwork the air conditioning system. To prevent this, ensure both soffit vents near the lower section of the attic area are working,  allowing cool and hot air to enter and escape as needed.

Insulate for Energy Efficiency

Conversely, to keep your house warm during the winter, make sure that your insulation in the roof is up to par. It’s important to avoid blocking vents with insulation so as to not disrupt air-flow, but at the same time not retain too much heat to the point where molding becomes a danger. Check to make sure you have the right type of insulation installed to ensure the optimal amount of energy efficiency.

Get a Professional Inspection Every Year

While you may be able to research and get some degree of understanding of the subjects mentioned above, it always helps immensely to get an opinion from a professional who has the training and experience to see signs of danger that would otherwise go unnoticed. Therefore, it helps to get an inspection done by a qualified contractor once a year, to ensure that there aren’t any costly damages in the making.

We’d be happy to help you get the professional assistance you need. With plenty of years of experience in the New Jersey area, our contractors have the knowledge necessary to spot, and repair any damages at minimal time and cost. Call us, or contact us via our inquiry form to learn more about our roofing services.