St. Louis Real Estate Tip of the Week: Roof Maintenance Tips to Protect Your Most Valuable Possessions

The roof is responsible for protecting the home, its occupants from the elements, and of course the many treasures your home holds. Severe weather such as spring and summer thunderstorms create high winds and hail storms that can cause considerable damage to the roof and put its structural integrity in jeopardy.

Roof maintenance tip #1: Check the shingles

Roofing shingles are the most visible part of a roof, and they play a major role in keeping the system dry. Shingles are made from a variety of materials including wood, slate and clay; however asphalt shingles are most common. If your roof is missing a shingle or two, you may not think it is a significant problem, but when left unattended, it can cause serious damage to your roof. Missing shingles allow wind to remove large sections which would not be vulnerable if the missing shingles had been addressed.

Ensure that all shingles are in place, none are missing and they are all securely fastened.  Missing or deteriorated shingles can cause water to penetrate through the roof's sheathing which can lead to interior water damage.  It is very difficult for an inspector to miss any type of ceiling damage that has occurred by water leakage.  Another good tip would be to check all gutters for old leaves and any other kind of debris that may clog the flow of water.

You can also check for damage by climbing up on the roof and looking for shingles that are missing, or contain rips, tears or indentations. It’s wise to perform this check at the beginning of the spring and fall seasons and after any major storm.

Roof maintenance tip #2: Keep limbs cut back

According to research, tree limb are the #1 culprit for roof problems. Limbs can swing and hit the roof during high winds and cause significant damage.

Roof maintenance tip #3: Check Downspouts for Granules

Check your downspouts for deposits of the tiny granules typically found in asphalt shingles. This would indicate damage and possible underlayment deterioration. Sun exposure to this underlayment will create major damage and costs for the home owner.

Some other tips include:

Look for leaks in and outside of your home. Do you see stains on your ceiling? If so, you should act quickly to mitigate the damage.  Your soffit and fascia may also give you signs of roof damage.

To protect your shingles keep trees trimmed away from the roof, eliminating deposits of leaves and other debris that can accumulate on flat parts of the roof.

Replacing a roof is an expensive process, and it’s not something most homeowners will have to do more than once or twice in their lifetimes. The best way to ensure a long life for your roof and to minimize costly repairs is to perform regular, routine maintenance. If you have a concern about your roof there are a number of reputable Roofing Contractors who will perform free inspections and give you a verbal report of their findings.

Beverly Taki is a Missouri-licensed real estate broker who has successfully represented clients for 25 years. She is a broker salesperson at Keller Williams Realty St Louis. 10936 Manchester Road, St. Louis, MO   63122. Beverly has earned a certificate in dispute resolution from Pepperdine University, specializing in negotiation and mediation. Taki can be reached at beverlytaki@kw.com or 314.677.6366.  Her website is beverlytakistlouis.com and her blog is realestatestlou.com.