A new roof is one of the biggest investments you can make for your home or business. Marshall’s Roofing & Contracting wants to help you get the most out of your roofing system. While an in-depth examination of your roof should be performed by a certified roofing professional, there are some observations that can be made by the home or business owner that can help a roof last longer and result in less costly repairs in the long run. We have put together a few roof care tips below that can help ensure a healthy roof for many years to come.

1. Inspect your roof in both the late fall and early spring. You may need binoculars! Depending on what type of roof you have, look for missing or damaged pieces. On shingle roofs, look for curling, fraying and tears at the edges and for loose shingles. On tile roofs, look for missing or cracked pieces. Do not forget to check the flashings around chimneys, vents, skylights and other roof penetrations. They should be tight and appear in good condition. Lastly check the condition of the fascia boards near the joints of all metal eaves for signs of leakage or rot. If you see any of these signs of wear, be sure to call a professional contractor for a more thorough inspection!

2. Keep gutters and downspouts clean and free of leaves, sticks and other debris. Check seams for leaks.

3. Keep trees trimmed away from building.

4. Stay off the roof! Walking on your roofs surface can do a great deal of damage and in addition to that, you could fall! If you must go up on the roof, use a firmly braced ladder equipped with rubber safety feet and wear rubber-soled shoes. Make sure the roof is dry and stay on the ladder (and off the roof) as much as possible.