For something that exists on top of us most of the time, we usually fail to give our roofs the attention it deserves. And when we do give it attention, it’s often too late. When the roof starts to leak, homeowners often have no clue what happened and where it came from. Unfortunately, that’s how it normally is. We wouldn’t prescribe for you to routinely stare at your roof. Even if you do that, the regular guy wouldn’t know what they’re looking at when they’re seeing it.

There’s a lot of ways that you can get roof damage. On the bright side, there’s a lot of ways you can prevent roof damage. And here’s some of it:

ROOF CLEANING

Proper roof cleaning is a core practice in roof maintenance. When a heap of gunk has grown on top of your roof, it covers the subtle damages that would otherwise be unnoticed. These unnoticed damages could cost you expensive repairs, and even replacement, in the future. Roof cleaning makes it so that you can do something about it before it gets worse.

Roof cleaning also keeps your roof in pristine condition. Not only does it extend the lifespan of the roof, it keeps it attractive. Your house would look brand new from the curb.

Roof cleaning is useful for both new and older roofs, which makes it an excellent tip.

ROOF INSPECTION

It’s hard to sleep when you’re unsure whether your roof would collapse on top of your family or not. Having a professional come in for regular inspection makes the difference between a peace of mind and paranoia. While a regular Joe may not distinguish a small nick to a lethal damage, a professional can tell you exactly what’s up. If you have at least an annual inspection going on, you could even pre-emptively prevent damage that could become more expensive and extensive repairs. Even if some types of roof damage may happen without warning, the more common issues develop over time. These issues range from loose shingles caused by erosion or cracks caused by weathering.

If you feel that your roof is less than a hundred percent, it wouldn’t hurt to have professional roof inspection. Your guy may be telling you something.

GUTTER CLEANING

As the leaves and precipitation fall, your gutter and downspouts will have debris in them. Layers of heavy gunk may also build up through time. These things are heavy and might cause uneven weight distribution on your roof. Plus, your gutter wouldn’t be as effective in flushing out what it needs to.

Scheduling regular gutter cleanings would definitely something you should look on.

TREE TRIMMING

A ‘widowmaker’ is a dead branch caught in-between other branches of trees, just waiting to fall. They can also be weak and decaying branches about to snap. In forestry, it’s notorious for causing fatalities to forest workers — hence the term, “widow maker”. It’s a serious life hazard. Unfortunately, widowmakers don’t just exist in the forest. They could also be at your residence from a nearby tree. These could fall on your roof, causing you thousands of dollars in roof replacement.

Get someone to catch them before they wreak havoc. Trim your trees and save your money (and life!).

STRONGER MATERIALS

Best way to prevent roof damage is way before it’s even installed. Homeowners who value toughness through time should choose materials that are impact resistant. There has been a myriad of impact resistant shingles that havebecome available in recent years. Many of these are attractive, energy efficient, and weather resistant.

Consider this the next time you opt to have your roof replaced.