Your roof is your first line of defense against inclement weather, even on your Sarasota home. So understanding factors impacting your roof’s lifespan is crucial.

Sarasota is a gulf coast paradise and one of the most desirable places to live in America, let alone Florida. As a resident, you’ve probably enjoyed the sunny weather and sandy beaches, but you’ve probably also experienced your share of rain, severe thunderstorms, windstorms, and hurricanes.

Along with the Florida heat, these things can do a number on your house, especially your roof, so you have to take special measures to protect it. Today, we’re going to give you 6 tips for increasing your roof’s lifespan so you can feel protected even in the direst conditions.

Your home should be your safe space and your roof shouldn’t be easily breached by the weather.

1. Regularly Clean the Gutters

It’s really important to keep your gutters clean. They’re there to catch the various types of debris that land on your roof during wind and rainstorms. If you go a long time without cleaning them, they’ll get overloaded with leaves, twigs, and whatever else, then you’ll notice them start to sag.

This is bad because the overflowing water could damage your roof’s deck board, as well as the boards under your gutter line. Overloaded gutters are also the root cause of a lot of leaking issues that cause water damage in your home, which can lead to mold issues.

Get up on a ladder every so often and clean all of this debris from your gutters so that you don’t run into any of these problems. It’s especially important to do it after you’ve had a particularly bad storm.

2. Deal With Your Trees

Everyone loves having big trees on their property. They look gorgeous, they give you shade and give you a lot of privacy that you wouldn’t have otherwise. The only problem with trees is how vulnerable they leave you when a hurricane or bad windstorm rolls in.

Not only can leaves and small branches clog your gutters, but the large branches can actually pose a real threat to your roof, not to mention your safety. Too many times, we’ve seen huge a massive branch pierce a roof or even an entire tree go down on top of a house.

There’s not a ton you can do about the location of a tree, short of cutting it down. But, if you call a local arborist, they might be able to trim it in a way that keeps your roof and the rest of your house safe from harm.

3. Insulation

During the summer, especially in a (generally) hot place like Sarasota, your roof can get almost 100 degrees hotter than the air temperature. By insulating your roof, you can reduce the heat from transferring into the structural elements of your home, which will protect your rafters from cracking.

Attic insulation is extremely cost-effective and takes no time to install, but you need to call in a professional to get the materials and install it properly.

4. Attic Ventilation

A lot of damage can happen when your roof transfers heat on to your beams, but a lack of attic ventilation (and insulation) is just as dangerous. On a summer day, your attic temperature can end up in the high 100s, which can begin to warp your beams and fry your shingles from beneath, if left for too long.

That kind of heat also comes with intense moisture and when combined, they can start to rot the wooden components of your attic. To get the proper ventilation, you need to place intake vents underneath the soffit of the roof and exhaust vents on the ridge of the roof.

5. Regular Cleaning

To really protect your roof, you need to keep a constant eye on it. Look for missing or curled shingles, damaged shingles (look at the granules), and any debris that’s left after a storm.

Don’t wait to clean it. You can either get up and take clear it of debris yourself, or you can call Sonshine Roofing to come and maintain it for you. We understand that not every homeowner wants to climb onto their roof to pull things off and make sure all the shingles are in decent shape.

6. Professional Inspection

It can’t be understated how important professional inspection on a regular basis is. A professional roofer will know specifically what damages to look for, what needs immediate fixing, and what can wait. Calling in the pros to take care of the small stuff more regularly is going to save you a lot of time and trouble in the long-run.

The professionals at Sonshine Roofing have been inspecting, maintaining, repairing, and even replacing roofs in the Sarasota area for over 30 years. What we’ve learned along the way is that by properly caring for your roof, you can make it last for decades. If you don’t, the opposite occurs.

When we come to inspect your roof, we can quickly determine if you need minor repairs, major repairs, or a completely new roof. In the case of the latter, our experienced roofers can help you choose the right materials and construction to ensure that you’re getting the best roof possible for your home.

Increasing Your Roof’s Lifespan Depends On You

Increasing your roof’s lifespan all comes down to how much you want to look after it. Regular maintenance will keep your roof in tip-top shape for much longer than if you let the weather gradually take a toll on it. By doing what you can on your own and calling Sonshine Roofing to do the big stuff, you can add years onto your roof’s lifespan.

Want to get in touch with us? Visit our contact page. There, you’ll find more information about our services and our blog, where you can read more about looking after your roof.