10 Roof Maintenance Tips from Wash Rite

10 Roof Maintenance Tips from Wash Rite

10 Roof Maintenance Tips That Save Money and Unnecessary Headaches

Installing a new roof can be expensive and it’s usually a major disruption for most Homeowners. That’s why inexpensive inspections and maintenance on a regular basis make perfect sense. A well designed roof maintenance program will keep your roof functioning properly, keep your warranties intact, and ensure that you get the maximum useful life from your roof.

1. Inspect the roof on a regular basis: Inspections are designed to find minor issues before they become major issues. You should schedule inspections before or after seasonal changes and after major storms. A proper inspection will always include looking in the attic for leaks.
2. Keep your roof free and clear of debris: minor debris such as leaves, small limbs, and sticks can damage your roof, prevent proper drainage, encourage algae & moss growth, and encourage wood rot.
3. Inspect / repair seals, joints, and flashing: These are the most frequent spots for leaks and should be regularly inspected for damage. Flashing covers entry points into your roof including the vents, exhaust pipe, and chimney, and it’s often a hotspot for leaks. Look for rust, cracks, and dried out or loose sealant.
4. Repair problems quickly: Roof problems don’t go away, they just get worse with time and more expensive to fix.
5. Keep your gutters clear: Gutters are a critical, but often overlooked, part of your roofing system. They allow for the proper drainage that’s necessary for the roof to function properly. When gutters back up, serious water damage and ice damming can occur.
6. Trim trees away from the roof: Tree limbs hanging down over your roof, or even on it can be a serious hazard. Not only do they put you at risk for broken limbs falling on the roof, they can wear down and damage shingles. Tree limbs can also encourage squirrels and raccoons to gain access to your home. Keep in mind that they may be closer to your home than you think: tree limbs are often flexible and can swing several feet during a storm.
7. Look for signs of animal and insect damage: Rodents, birds, bats, and bees can cause serious damage to your roof if they decide to make it their home. Inspecting for intrusions can prevent major damage and/or infestations.
8. If you live in area that experience it, clear heavy snow in winter as quickly as possible: Heavy winter snow accumulation can cause a roof collapse. If your roof is not shedding snow quickly enough, hire a professional to remove it. In New Zealand even though in some area's we receive winter snow falls in general our roof's are not engineered to hold heavy snow falls for a long period of time.
9. Avoid harsh cleaning methods: Roofs throughout New Zealand experience discoloration due to algae growth. And while a clean roof looks MUCH better than a stained roof, harsh cleaning methods or repeated cleaning often do more harm than good. NEVER allow high-pressure to be used on your roof. Roof Cleaning should always be done by a trained professional and should always be done in conjunction with a proper roof inspection.
10. Document your repairs and maintenance: This will help you keep track of your expenses as well as provide you with the proper documentation you may need in the case of a warranty or insurance claim.

With proper maintenance, you can maximize the life of your roof while minimizing the overall cost. This will allow you to save money and avoid unexpected emergencies while keeping your home and family protected.

For best results, consider our very affordable Roof Inspection and Moss and Mould treatment program. Our employee's are trained to address all of these items and more. And we’re certified to offer the best warranties in the business.

For more information about keeping your roof looking it best contact us for a chat about your roof or to arrange a free quote.

Wash Rite

PH: 080010126

www.washrite.co.nz

How to clean weatherboard siding on your house

Think your wood siding needs a fresh coat of paint? Maybe. Or it could be that your wood weatherboards simply needs a thorough cleaning. Homeowners have always prized wood for its unparalleled appearance, but like any siding material, it requires periodic maintenance. With wood in particular, the challenge is to avoid doing more harm than good. For instance, you might be tempted to clean weatherboards with a broom and scrubbing brush, thinking it would make quick work of things. Do so at your own risk. Using such a harsh abrasive tool can actually cause several types of damage, including stripped paint, gouged boards, and loosened caulk, besides, if you really want to give new life to your wood siding, it’s likely that water alone won’t do the trick—you’ll need a good soap to remove the dirt and kill the moss,mould and mildew on the weatherboards. 

If you are not familiar with the use of soaps and chemicals i would recommend hiring a professional house washing contractor. "Mr Troy Hillard from Wash Rite in New Zealand said in most cases most houses can be washed for under $300 so its worth while talking to a local house washing contractor if your unsure what soaps to use".

STEP 1 MATERIALS AND TOOLS
- Low Pressure High Volume Pressure washer
- Garden Hose
- House wash soaps
- Ladder

Shut all the windows. As you go about your preparations, keep an eye out for mold. Dirt can be unsightly, but mold can be truly problematic. Left unchecked, it often causes wood rot, particularly in wet, humid climates. Note any location where you discover mold, so you return to and concentrate on those spots later in the cleaning process.

STEP 2
Apply the house wash soaps through the chemical injection value in your Low pressure high volume pressure washer, Apply the soap from the bottom of the house and work your way upwards, Mr Hillard from Wash Rite recommends washing small sections of the house at a time as you don't want the soap to dry on the house. Let the soap dwell for 10 minutes and keep on apply light layers of soap just so the soap does not dry on the house in that 10 minute period.

STEP 3
Rinse of the house starting at the highest point and working your way down to the ground level, This will ensure no soap is left on the house.

Take extra time to rinse of the windows to prevent soap drying on the windows and leveling residue marks on the glass.

STEP 4

Finish up by walking around the house and making sure all sections of the house are clean, If there are any stubborn bits you may have to go back and do step 2 and 3 again on that section.

COST AND BENEFITS OF WASHING YOUR ROOF

If you’re noticing black streaking and stains on your roof, you may be thinking it’s time to replace it. You’re dreading the cost of such a large project, but before you start calling for estimates, you should consider calling a profession roof cleaning service first like Wash Rite.

HOW BAD IS THE DAMAGE?

If you can see the algae, lichen, moss, mildew or mold on my roof, that’s not a great sign. We can’t say for sure if your roof is damaged beyond repair without seeing it first, but unless the roof system is over 15 years, it’s probably safe to say you could have it cleaned and gain considerably more time to save up for a total replacement down the road.

The plants growing on the roof can be killed and washed off with a good low pressure wash. Wash Rite not only gently washes your roof to protect your roofing material warranty, we also apply an algaecide/fungicide to inhibit future growth.

WILL A ROOF CLEANING SAVE ME MONEY?

Absolutely, a roof cleaning will save you money. First, hiring a professional company to wash and protect your roof saves you 90 to 95 percent of the cost of a total replacement right off the bat. If the roof is still within its service life, you won’t need to come up with the $10,000 plus to replace the roof if it is of an average size, slope and standard materials. The cost savings jumps from there if you have a cedar, shingle, slate roof, as these are considerably more expensive to replace.

On top of those savings, by removing the sun-absorbing black stains, you’ll restore the reflective properties of the roofs protective coatings, which can help reduce the heat-trapping in your attic and reduce your summer cooling costs.

WILL A ROOF CLEANING EXTEND THE LIFE OF MY ROOF?

In our wet and humid climate, plant growth on roofs and home exteriors is so common that we can say yes, a good cleaning and algaecide/fungicide application will extend the life of your roof. In our climate zone, the average roof life, without regular cleaning, is 14 to 18 years. In New Zealand, where roof cleaning has been routinely practiced for the better part of 40 years, the average roof life is 24 to 28 years. That’s a 10-year extension of roof life! With regular roof cleanings and no storm damages, you might need to replace your roof twice in 50 years. Without cleanings, you may end up replacing it every 15 years.

WILL A CLEAN ROOF ENHANCE MY HOME’S CURB APPEAL?

It sure will. If you’re putting your home on the market, any streaking, staining, moss or lichen growth on the roof is going to stand out like a sore thumb and turn prospects away. They’ll see a maintenance chore or re-roof awaiting them, so they will be discouraged from buying. We highly recommend a good low pressure wash cleaning not only for your roof but your whole house as well. You should be able to get top dollar with a bright clean property.

Before you start calling roofing companies, give Wash Rite a call. Or, you can schedule a free estimate online. We would be happy to come assess your roof to see if it’s a good candidate for a money-saving roof wash. Contact us today!

Wash Rite Servicing Waikato and Wellington http://washrite.co.nz/services/roof-wash/