How to Maintain Your Shingles
Once your new roof has been installed, you’ll need to keep an eye on your investment from time to time to ensure the shingles continue to perform, protect and look their best. To help you do that, we’ve put together a quick and easy check list.
- Every few months, take a good look at your roof – especially after a rain storm or high wind. If there are any roofing shingles missing, have them replaced immediately. Visually inspect the dormers, valleys and flashing for signs of leaks, too
- Make sure there’s no debris on your roof. A build-up of leaves, especially on a low-slope or flat roof, can trap and hold water which could eventually work its way through the roof deck and into your home. Clear away leaves with a leaf blower
- Keep your eavestroughs clear so water can run away to the ground and not back up along your roof line where it could get underneath your shingles or freeze and create an ice dam
- Look for ceramic granules in your eavestrough. It’s perfectly normal for your shingles to lose some of their granules over time and in weather. However, if you find a lot of granules, check your shingles for bald spots where too many granules have worn away, leaving the asphalt exposed and vulnerable. Replace any such shingles right away
- If you live in a maritime climate or an area of high humidity and you have a light colored roof, you may notice some black streaks. These are caused by algae growth. Although they look unattractive, they won’t affect the performance of your roof shingles. You can avoid the problem right off the bat by choosing an algae-resistant asphalt shingle. Look for this specification when selecting your shingles or ask your roofing contractor