If you don’t know what kind of roof shingles you have and they are not obviously made of wood or metal on first glance, chances are that your home is roofed with asphalt composite shingles. We can say this with some confidence because the vast majority of modern homes are roofed with asphalt composite. While there are a few neighborhoods where the builders chose an alternate style like tile and the occasional older homes that still use cedar shake, most roofers today agree that asphalt roofs are the most durable, versatile, and easy to repair when they do wear out or get damaged in the weather.
For homeowners who want to know for sure, simply set a ladder against your roof and climb up to take a look. If the shingles there are dark gray or black, covered in sparkly little granules, and slightly springy to the touch, these are composite asphalt shingles. Naturally, as a responsible homeowner not looking forward to any unnecessary repairs, your next goal should be determining the best way to maintain these asphalt roof shingles so that you only need a bi-annual inspection and the occasional storm damage spot repairs. Let’s look into how.
Invest in a Roof Brush
The first and by far one of the best things you can do for your roof is to invest in a roof brush. These are incredibly long and look like lightweight push brooms because the brush points at a right angle to handle of the broom. This allows you to stand with or without a short ladder and brush piles of leaves, debris, and even snow off of the top of your roof. By getting rid of these piles, you reduce the places where moisture can linger on the rooftop and keep your composite shingles from growing soft and useless over time.
The Usual Warning About Gutters
Every tips article about roof maintenance has to mention the gutters almost as a ritual necessity. If you have gutters (and we all do), these are designed to redirect rainwater away from the roof and home by way of the downspouts which should let out somewhere that puddles aren’t a problem. However, if your gutters or downspouts are clogged, water can pool up in the gutters and possibly overflow onto the edge of the roof softening your outer-most asphalt roof shingles.
Join us next time for the second half of this article where we’ll talk about moss, loose shingles, flashing, and repairs. For more information about roof care at home and with the help of professionals, contact us today!