Guide
What to do, and when
Most of what shortens a roof is neglect of things that take twenty minutes: a blocked valley, a lifted flashing, a gutter full of grit.
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Clear the gutters before the wet season
Gutters full of grit are not just a drainage problem — the grit is your roof, and its presence tells you something about how far along the covering is.
Keep the penetrations honest
Pipe boots crack, sealant shrinks, and satellite mounts get screwed straight through the covering. Every penetration is a hole somebody decided to make watertight, and each is worth a look.
Deal with growth properly
Moss and algae hold water against the surface. Treat and brush gently, or fit zinc or copper strip near the ridge. Never pressure wash an asphalt roof — it strips the granules and takes years off it in an afternoon.
Twice a year, from the ground
You do not need to be on the roof to find most problems. A slow lap of the house at a low angle finds nearly all of them.
Look in the attic after heavy weather
Check after the first real weather of the season rather than at the end of it. A small stain found in autumn is a cheap repair; the same stain found in spring is not.
Cut back anything touching the roof
Branches abrade the surface in wind and drop debris that holds moisture. Keep growth well clear of the covering, and clear of the gutters while you are at it.
In short
Put two dates in the calendar, one either side of November through March. That is the whole programme.
Related questions
How long does a re-roof take?
A straightforward asphalt roof on an average house is one to three days. Tile, slate and complex rooflines take longer, and weather stops work more often than anything else.
What is different about re-roofing an older house?
Layers and surprises. Older houses have usually been roofed over rather than stripped, so nobody knows the condition of the decking until the tear-off starts. Get a written per-sheet price for replacing bad decking before work begins, and expect to use some of it.
What wind rating do I need?
Look at how the edges are fixed rather than at the number on the packet. Wind lifts a roof at the perimeter and the ridge first; a high-rated shingle nailed short at the edge is not a high-rated roof.
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