Cleaning your roof isn’t something that all homeowners think about.
You’d be surprised at how many people hire pressure washing companies to clean their roofs.
Those homeowners may be on to something because cleaning your roof can save you a LOT of money in the long run. You can think of roof cleaning like car maintenance. Small problems, if left unattended, can lead to much bigger problems.
All of your most valuable assets required some maintenance. Don’t neglect your roof, and your roof will repay you. Here are 3 of the biggest ways cleaning your roof will save you money.
1. Roof cleaning can prevent expensive roof repairs
Your roof is taking a beating against the harsh outside elements every single day. Rain, wind, changes in temperature, and humidity all take a toll on your roof. Over time, this exposure to the elements can cause severe damage to your roof. Without proper maintenance, this will lead to very expensive roof repairs.
The kicker for this is that your damage may not be covered by roof insurance. This is considered normal wear and tear. A lot of times roof insurance will only cover something accidental like lightning striking or hail damage. Just letting moss grow and damage your roof is something you want to avoid at all costs
In some areas of the country, moss and algae will grow in between the shingles of your roof and lift the shingles. This can cause severe damage to the roof that needs to be replaced or repaired Also if your roof isn’t being maintained regularly throughout the year then it’s likely that your gutters are also being filled with debris that can cause overflow which is an important issue to consider in the next section.
2. Roof Cleaning Can Help Prevent Water Damage
Roof cleaning can prevent water damage from happening to your house. As we talked about, moss and algae growth on your roof can lift shingles. This can cause your roof to leak and cause water damage. Water damage is very expensive to fix.
Furthermore, if your roof is not being maintained, then it’s likely that your gutters are being filled with debris. This can cause your gutters to overflow. Water could overflow and cause water damage to the siding of your house, foundation, and landscaping. Cleaning your roof goes hand-in-hand with cleaning your gutters and keeping your gutter system free
A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) rural housing program found that homeowners who cleaned their roofs were up to 4 times more likely to avoid water damage and about twice as likely to avoid mold issues.
3. Roof cleaning can lower your utility bills
Another way that roof cleaning can save you money is that it can save you on your energy bill.
There are two ways that roof cleaning saves you money on your energy bill.
By maintaining your roof, you can prevent damage. Weathering and moss buildup can cause energy inefficiency because cracks and airways can develop on your roof. Heat and air can escape from these crevices, and can rack up costly utility bills over time.
Another way that roof cleaning can save you money on your energy bill is from your roof shingle color. Your roof shingle color affects how much heat your roof absorbs. If your roof gets dirty, the color of your roof shingles will get darker, and that darker color will absorb more heat. This causes your roof to require more energy to maintain a cool temperature.
We had a client where shingle color caused another issue. A homeowner had damage to his roof from not utilizing roof cleaning. Over the years, parts of his roof start to leak and he needed to get some part of the roof repaired. The roofing company matched the color of his current shingles which looked pretty dark. Later, we were brought on to clean his roof to reveal that his original shingles were significantly lighter in color than the new shingles that the homeowner had installed.
Now the value of his property is affected because of mismatched shingle colors which could have been avoided along with the roof damage in the first place if he simply had utilized roof cleaning regularly.
4. Roof cleaning can raise the value of your home or business
Finally, as shown in the previous example, roof cleaning can not only save you money but could also make you money.
Roof cleaning is one of the maintenance activities that you can do to increase the value of your home at a very affordable price. Cleaning the exterior of your home increases the curb appeal of your home.
This is especially true when your home is being inspected or appraised for sale. Take some time to inspect your roof from the front street. You will notice great areas of opportunity for roof washing. First impressions are important. Having dirt and grime built up on the roof of your home can turn away prospective buyers. Don’t let that happen to you. When your house exterior is clean, it will look well-maintained and drive more traffic. Don’t let something as simple as cleaning your roof deter you from getting the maximum value for your home.
5. To wrap it up
So that is four ways why it is important to consider roof cleaning.
Cleaning your roof will protect your roof from normal wear and tear from the weather. This can prevent very expensive roof repairs.
Also, roof washing can help prevent water damage. Roof cleaning goes hand in hand with gutter cleaning, so you will prevent overflowing that can cause water damage to your roof, siding, and foundation.
Roof cleaning can make your home more energy-efficient. Stop and consider investing in affordable roof cleaning services so that you can avoid paying more for your utility bills than you should over months and years.
Finally, you will raise the value of your home by having a clean and presentable exterior to show appraisers and potential home buyers.
