Getting the most life out of your asphalt shingle roof is very important. That’s because the average shingle roof only lasts a little over a decade. Too make matters worse, the cold weather and hot summers that often affect Mclean can take a heavy toll on shingle roofs and shrink their lifespan considerably. By using these basic tips and techniques for increasing your roofs lifespan, you can bet that you’ll not only increase your roofs lifespan but you’ll also help prevent the inevitable roof replacement.

A complete and total roof inspection twice a year is the first step for getting the most life out of your asphalt shingle roof. Here at Roof.net, we recommend that your Mclean, Virginia home or businesses roof is inspected once before the wet winter weather begins and once before the hot summer months start. By repairing minor roofing damages now before they have a chance to start, you can be sure that you’re going to prevent more costly repairs down the road.

While it’s not a good idea to climb on your own roof, a visual inspection from the safety of the ground is sufficient enough to get an idea if any of the following conditions exist. If you spot any of these roofing problems; don’t wait for problems to get worse. Call Roof.net today at (703)303-8546 or fill out the form on your upper left hand corner of the screen and we’ll send our experienced roofers to provide you with a no obligation roofing inspection and a free estimate, complete with a detailed description of any roofing problems we find. Check out our roofing contractor’s reviews and see for yourself why Roof.net is the best inspection, roof repair and replacement company throughout the entire Northern Virginia area.

• Damaged Shingles - Most shingle damages are easy enough to spot from the ground. Missing, torn, broken or curled shingles can all be signals that you need to call a crew of roofers immediately to make emergency repairs. Most visible shingle damages are due to stormy weather and high winds. Curled edges can be a sign that shingles are well past their prime and a roof replacement is going to be necessary soon. Sometimes shingles with brittle, curled edges can be because attic ventilation isn’t doing its job.

• Aging Sealants - Tar, butyl and even rubber is used to the seal the areas around all types of roofing penetrations. Many times, sealants age and decay long before shingles reach old age. Be sure to check all areas around plumbing pipes, vent stacks and make sure that no cracks, splits or peeling membranes are visible around roofing penetrations to extend the lifespan of your asphalt shingle roof for years to come.

• Soffit, Drip Edge and Fascia - The edge and overhand of your roof utilizes three layers of protection to prevent water intrusion in the structure through the walls or foundation of the home. Drip edge is the first defense against water intrusion and covers the edge of your roof from moisture. The fascia extends under the drip edge and over the lip of the soffit below. The soffit connects to the wall and provides the final waterproof shield as well as ventilation to the attic. If any of these three layers are missing, bent, broken or loose then a serious roof leak may be eminent.

• Flashing Corrosion - In some cases, flashings problems can occur due to inferior materials, improper installation or just old age. Rusting flashing metal can leave nasty stains on your roof and should provide you with the signal that something is wrong. Powdery white corrosion on aluminum can also mean a roof repair is going to be necessary soon. If you suspect your flashing is in trouble, don’t let problems get worse than they already are. Call Roof.net today at (703)303-8546 and we’ll send our crew of professional roofers to inspect and repair any damages we find.

To ensure that your roof lasts as long as possible, it’s a good idea to keep trees and other debris off of your roof. Heavy snow loads may be dangerous, but be sure not to keep abrasive equipment from coming in contact with your Mclean, VA home or businesses roof. Keep tree branches trimmed back from your roof as well to make certain that braches don’t have a chance to rub away sensitive shingle granules and cause the need for a roof repair.