If you’re like most homeowners, keeping your house in good shape for as long as possible is at the top of your priority list. Maintaining the interior of your residence doesn’t require a lot of thought; you need to keep it clean, repair any damaged features, and perform upgrades when necessary. Taking care of the exterior of your house, though, can be more challenging since you have no control over the weather, precipitation, and other factors.
As you read this guide, you will discover several helpful tips that will make it easier for you to keep your home’s roof and siding in excellent condition for as long as you can. Remember, though, both roofing materials and siding of all kinds eventually have expiration dates, so if yours are at least fifteen years old, it might make sense to look into replacing them sooner rather than later.
Inspect and repair gutter systems
If you haven’t thought about your home’s gutter systems in a while, now is the perfect time to start. Clean, functional gutters and downspouts go a long way toward helping your home’s roof and siding last a long time. Although you might think a little rainwater runoff won’t hurt anything, water damage can actually cause serious structural problems to your house.
If, for example, your gutters haven’t been professionally cleaned in several years and have become clogged, the water pouring over the sides of the gutter troughs could seep under your siding and lead to a mold infestation inside of your home. Or, if water cannot escape from your roof due to bent gutters, it will likely begin pooling. This can lead to both water damage and cracked shingles from the weight of the standing water.
Home services experts generally recommend twice-yearly gutter cleanings, especially for those who live in areas of the Carolinas where leaves fall during the autumn months. Talk to your gutter cleaning company about when you should schedule your appointments, but spring and fall are generally suggested. Gutter cleaning is a simple way to ensure that your roof and siding do not sustain unnecessary damage.
Have your attic ventilation Inspected
You’ve probably never considered that the ventilation system in your attic could actually impact the condition of your roof and siding. If your attic isn’t correctly ventilated, it could lead to scorching temperatures on your roof in the summertime, ultimately causing asphalt shingles to start breaking, cracking, and peeling away from the underlayment. During the winter months, poor ventilation can cause ice dams to form on the edges of your roof.
The best way to find out if you need to address the ventilation situation in your attic is to have a professional contractor perform an inspection. Fortunately, even if there are problems with your current system, there are things you can do to improve it without spending a lot of money. Adding a soft vent to the edges of your roof, for instance, is a great way to reduce the chances of ice dams. Most contractors can do this job quickly and easily.
If you have concerns about keeping your siding and roofing in good shape for years to come, give the Hatch Homes team a call today. We look forward to visiting your home to provide you with a risk-free assessment. We serve families throughout North Carolina and South Carolina, so no matter where you live, we are here to help you!