The roof is an essential component of a house because it provides several functions. It serves as an envelope of the building. As a result, it helps to maintain the internal climate of the home. When the roof is intact, it insulates the property, and your tenants will spend less money on heating or cooling the home. However, if the roof is faulty, the house loses its insulating ability. Here, renters spend more money on energy bills.
The roof of a rental property is also essential because it improves the house’s curb appeal and adds value to it. A beautiful roof attracts more tenants. However, when the roof is deteriorating, damaged, dirty, or leaky, the property loses its curb appeal and value. Potential renters shy away from such properties, and it may stay vacant for a long time.
The roof also protects the entire structure from harsh weather conditions such as rain, snow, wind, and UV rays of the sun. The occupants, furniture, and appliances also enjoy this protection from the roof.
Anything that happens to the roof can affect the entire structure and threaten your investment, warns MTD Management. Also, replacing the roof of your rental property may be expensive. It is not something you want to perform frequently.
For these reasons, landlords need to maintain the roof of their rental property to protect their investment and maximize income.
Roof maintenance tips for landlords
There are two ways that landlords approach roof maintenance.
- Address roof issues only when they happen
This approach is both reactive and corrective. Some landlords use this approach only when they receive a complaint of leaks or other faults in the roof. During this approach, repairs do not follow a routine schedule.
The disadvantage of this strategy is that some issues may remain hidden for a long time and cause severe damage. Tenants and landlords may only notice the problem when it becomes widespread. By this time, the repairs will be expensive.
- Regular detailed inspection and roof care
This approach is both proactive and preventive. Here, you anticipate the problem and prevent it before it happens. Landlords who use this strategy observe the warning signs early and fix the issues before they become extensive. If you follow this approach, you will extend the lifespan of your roof. This strategy also helps you to spend less on roof maintenance.
Preventive approaches to roof maintenance
There are two ways can perform preventive roof maintenance:
- Regular inspection
A regular roof inspection is the best way to preserve your roof. Some landlords do not perform an inspection. Those that conduct it do not do it regularly, or they miss some vital aspects. If you want to enjoy the benefits of preventive roof maintenance, you need to inspect the entire roof regularly.
To achieve this, you need a roof inspection checklist. This checklist comprises all the vital areas of the roof, and it follows a step-by-step process that will prevent you from missing any aspect. People that do not use a checklist for the roof inspection conduct a haphazard and ineffective job.
We always recommend that you hire experts. These professionals do not walk on the roof during the inspection. Walking on your roof will cause more damage to it. However, they have special tools and training that enable them to perform a perfect roof inspection.
The critical things that these experts check for include:
- Presence of organic growth like moss, mold, and mildew on the roof.
- Excessive shedding of granules by the shingles.
- Damaged or missing shingles.
- Rusty, sagging, or blocked gutters.
- Loose, missing, or damaged flashing.
- Missing or exposed roof fasteners.
If they notice any of these, they will notify you of the appropriate strategy to solve the problem.
- Caring for the roof
Roof care is also vital. It helps you remove things that may predispose the roof to damages. You can care for your root by doing the following;
- Regular re-caulking: Roof flashings protect the internal structures from water damage. The caulks around the edges of roof flashing help them retain their waterproof properties. Without these caulks, the flashings are not helpful, and water penetrates the roof.
- Clean the drains: When you clean the roof gutters, you prevent blockage that can cause water to back up and leak into the house.
- Trim nearby trees: Overhanging tree branches may continue to rub on the roof and result in leaks. Sometimes, they may break off and fall on the roof leading to damages. Tree branches may also provide a route for rodents to access your roof and cause damage.
- Remove growths: Growths on your roof weakens it and cause leaks. Moss and algae feed on the roofing materials and cause leaks.
In a nutshell
Preventive roof maintenance helps landlords save money because they wouldn’t have to conduct frequent roof repairs or replacements. Always seek help from professionals for proper roof maintenance.
