Buying or building a home for the first time is an exciting time. There are opportunities to design and customize to your heart’s content. You can paint your living room purple and your bathroom blue, but where there is fun and room for creativity, there is also the responsibility that comes with owning a home. Unlike rental properties, where regular maintenance is taken care of by the landlord or the company that owns the building, owning a home means you are one hundred percent responsible for everything with your home including the roof, one of the most important parts of your home. Whether you are starting from scratch with new construction or purchasing an older home, there are things you should know about proper roof maintenance you may not have thought of.
Scheduling annual roofing inspections with a local roofing contractor in Charlotte, NC is a great way to prevent larger issues from a new roof leak that may have sat undiscovered. The benefits of having a professional inspection of your roof once a year is their ability to notice small issues that you may not have noticed that would have become large issues without their interference.
Another thing to understand is that your roof will not last forever. When building a new home, your roof should last a good 25 years if well taken care of, but if purchasing an older home, it is good to find out the age of the roof. If the roof is old and doesn’t pass inspection, try to work replacing the roof into the contract, whether the cost of a new roof is taken off the purchase price of the home or the roof is replaced by the previous owner before you move in. If you’re 5 years from needing a roof replacement, start saving immediately so that you have the cash on hand when the work is needed.
Maintain your gutters! Gutter maintenance is key to keeping the soffit and fascia in prime condition. Poor gutter maintenance can leave soffit and fascia sagging and make your roof vulnerable to leaks and rot. Keep an eye on your roof as well. Make sure it stays free of debris and moss. A home is an investment, and proper maintenance is key to making sure that investment stays viable.
