Roof Maintenance

roof maintenance

Protect Your Real Estate Investment with a Simple, Affordable Step

Don’t wait for a costly roof leak to cause thousands of dollars in damage to your home’s interior. With just a few hundred dollars set aside in your annual home maintenance budget, you can protect your investment and avoid the stress of emergency repairs.

Each fall—ideally when you set your clocks back—schedule a licensed roofing contractor to perform a thorough inspection of your roof. This simple, preventive step can identify potential issues before winter hits, giving you peace of mind during the harshest months. Some contractors even offer short-term warranties against leaks after inspections.

Spending a little now on roof maintenance is far better than dealing with the aftermath of a major leak: structural damage, ruined furniture, and the loss of irreplaceable items like family heirlooms, photos, and keepsakes. A proactive approach pays off—so mark your calendar, and make roof inspections part of your annual home care routine.

Extend the Life of Your Roof in New England

Your roof can last for decades in New England’s climate—if you follow three key maintenance steps:

1. Ensure your attic has adequate ventilation—whether through gable, soffit, ridge, drip edge, turbine, roof vents, or attic fans. Learn more about adequate ventilation.

2. Maintain proper insulation to help regulate temperature and reduce moisture buildup. Most homeowners see insulation in their attic and assume it's sufficient—but often, it's not. Learn more about adequate insulation.

3. Set aside a few hundred dollars each year—or as your roof’s warranty nears expiration—to hire a qualified roofing contractor to walk the roof and inspect it thoroughly, including all flashings around penetrations like vents, chimneys, and skylights.

A little preventive care goes a long way toward avoiding expensive repairs and extending the life of your roofing system.

Simple Steps to Keep Your Roof in Top Shape

One of the most important things you can do for your roof is to prevent the growth of moss, algae, and black stains. If you start to notice dark streaks or patches of biological growth, don’t wait—take action. A highly effective solution is to install zinc strips along the ridges and hips of your roof. When it rains, these strips slowly release zinc carbonate—a natural, proven fungistat—that washes down over the shingles, helping to prevent damaging moss, algae, and fungus from taking hold and degrading your roof over time.

If you don't like the aesthetically unpleasing look of zinc strips installed at the ridge of your roof, then I highly recommend having your ugly algae-coated roof surface cleaned by a professional. Take a look at the before and after images below. You can clearly see the difference a soft wash (with biodegradable chemicals) can make on your roof. Not only does this homeowner have a nice clean new look to the roof, this algae cleaning just added years to the life of the roof shingles.

roof stains

Maintain Your Roof Regularly

✅ Make it a priority to remove all debris from the surface of your roof—especially around areas like chimneys, plumbing vent pipes, and other roof penetrations. Debris tends to trap moisture, and standing water accelerates roof deterioration. This is particularly true for asphalt-based roofing systems, such as built-up roofs and asphalt shingles. Keeping your roof clean helps extend its lifespan and prevents avoidable damage.

✅ Inspect all flashings to ensure they’re in good condition, with no signs of deterioration, holes, or gaps.

✅ Apply a small amount of roof cement under any loose or lifting shingle tabs—one dab on each side is usually enough to secure them in place.

✅ Hire a roofer to replace any shingles that are cracked, broken, or missing to maintain your roof’s integrity.

✅ Regularly clean your gutters to ensure they’re free of debris. Check that downspouts are draining properly by running water through them and observing the flow—make sure the water is directed away from the home’s foundation. Inspect all gutter seams for leaks. If you notice any leaks from the seams, a quick and effective fix is to apply a Polyurethane caulk (like Vulkem or NP-1) or Butyl Rubber sealant to the leaking seams.

✅ Trim back any tree branches that are overhanging or touching the roof.

✅ Inspect all caulking and sealants. Remove any cracked or damaged caulking. Clean the area thoroughly, using a wire brush if needed. Reapply polyurethane caulking, such as Vulkem, NP-1, or a suitable equivalent.

✅ Inspect the mortar on chimneys and parapet walls, both between the bricks and on top. If the mortar is damaged or deteriorated, have it tuck-pointed by a qualified mason.

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Thank you for your very thorough and impressive work. We really appreciated the difference in level of service you provided compared to many other people we have dealt with.

Steven