Replacement vs Cleaning
Sometimes, your roof can start looking worse for wear. The house might be old, have been through some bad storms, or maybe you haven’t cleaned it in a while, and it’s piling up with debris and algae.
When this happens, it can be hard to tell whether your roof needs a full replacement to spruce up the house – especially if curb appeal is important to you – or if it simply needs some deep roof cleaning to get it looking good and in working order.
When a tile roof is maintained properly, it can last a long time – even more than half a century.
Essentially, a well-maintained tile roof is a long-term investment that can provide decades of reliable protection for your home. There are, of course, factors unique to your home that will impact the roof’s lifespan. The climate, the quality of the build, the tiles, and the structure, the exposure to chemicals, salt, or even animal droppings, and more can mean some roofs need replacing or cleaning more than others.
But regular inspections, cleaning, and prompt repairs can keep your roof sparkling for many decades.
So, if you’re unsure of your roof’s needs, let’s go over how to figure out the best course of action to get it back to feeling like new.
Why Should I Take Care of My Tile Roof?
When we look after our roofs, they last far longer and are more effective at protecting our homes, which is the main reason we have roofs in the first place. To keep the home, its contents, and your family safe, the roof needs to be in functional condition. And it’s a bonus when it looks great on the street! Here’s what taking good care of your roof does:
- Prevents Damage: Maintenance helps you keep an eye out for small issues like cracked tiles. When you spot them and mend them early, it prevents them escalating into major, expensive damage.
- Extends Lifespan: When cleaning and maintenance keep your roof intact, there’s minimised need for a full replacement. At the same time, a full replacement on an older or poor quality roof can help you guarantee longer-lasting home protection.
- Boosts Curb Appeal: Whether you want your home to look good for your own enjoyment, to be the envy of neighbours, or to increase its safety for selling, a clean and healthy roof enhances the aesthetics of the whole property.
- Enhances Energy Efficiency: A clean roof is better able to reflect sunlight and insulate the house, which is a great benefit for Queensland homes in our hot summers.
- Preventing Leaks and Moisture: When structural damage caused by lack of cleaning leads to moss and algae, leaks in the home, and even mould, the roof and your family can be endangered. Maintenance helps to prevent this.
Now we know how regular maintenance, including cleaning and prompt repairs, can prevent costly damage and enhance your home’s value. The next step: will we simply clean, or do we need a full replacement?
What are the Signs to Simply Clean Your Roof?
When the following signs appear, you can DIY clean or hire professionals to restore the look and functionality of your roof:
- Algae, moss, or lichen growth: These can be addressed with cleaning solutions and techniques.
- Minor staining: If the staining is not accompanied by significant damage, cleaning can restore the roof’s appearance.
- Light granule loss: Some granule loss is normal, especially with age, but excessive loss could indicate a need for replacement.
- Light debris accumulation: Regular cleaning can remove leaves, twigs, and other debris.
What are the Signs a Roof Replacement is Needed?
While some of these issues can be fixed with some professional maintenance, major damage, especially structural, may indicate the need for a full roof replacement:
- Cracked or missing shingles: Indicates significant wear and tear, and potential for water damage.
- Curling or buckling shingles: Suggests the shingles are deteriorating and may not be providing adequate protection.
- Sagging roof: A serious issue indicating structural problems that need immediate attention.
- Leaks or water damage: Persistent leaks, even after repairs, often signal the need for a new roof.
- Excessive granule loss: A significant amount of granules in the gutters or around the roof is a sign of a failing roof.
- Rising energy bills: A poorly insulated or damaged roof can lead to increased heating and cooling costs.
Contact Us
If you’re unsure whether your roof needs cleaning or replacement, it’s best to consult with a professional roofing contractor. For homeowners in South East Queensland, we can come and assess your roof, helping you to understand what the best next step is – including quoting costs for the work.
We offer tile roof repair and metal roof cleaning, and tile roof cleaning for single-storey homes with roofs up to 2.4 metres to the gutter line.
Want to know more about how we can make your roof the envy of the neighbourhood? Contact us today online, or give us a call on 0409 643 468 or 07 3820 6510.
We also offer tile roof insurance work, tile roof painting and metal roof painting, with information on roof painting cost, roof maintenance, and tile roof restorations and info on tile roof restoration costs for roofs that need extra TLC to keep your home, family and belongings safe. On the commercial side, we offer commercial roof restoration and commercial roof painting.
