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A First-Time Homeowner’s Guide to Roof Maintenance: What You Should Do & Know

Posted on Thursday, January 2nd, 2025 at 12:38 pm    

Buying your first home is a major accomplishment, but it comes with roofing responsibilities to understand. Roofs require regular maintenance to protect your safety and investment while avoiding unnecessary costly repairs from unaddressed issues. 

This guide will walk you through the essentials of roof care and why it’s especially important for first-time homeowners.

Understanding Your Roofing System

It’s not expected for you to become an expert roofer as a homeowner. However, you should know how the basic components of your roofing system work.

There are six key areas of your roof to understand:

  • Roof Decking: The hidden foundational layer of your roof, often made of plywood that supports the entire roofing system. 
  • Membrane Underlayment: A protective barrier layer installed onto the roof decking and seals it against moisture. 
  • Roofing Materials: The visible layer on top of all roofs, most commonly shingles for homes. 
  • Flashing: Metal strips that seal the roof’s edges and water-prone vulnerable areas, like chimneys and skylights. 
  • Gutters & Downspouts: Two drainage systems that direct water away from your home horizontally and vertically, respectively. 
  • Ventilation: Part of your home’s HVAC system that provides airflow and temperature regulation inside your home. These are installed in various places, depending on the house structure.

While roofing systems are unique to each home, these are the standard parts to learn so you can care for your roof efficiently, while preventing out-of-pocket costs with early damage detection.

Routine Roof Inspections

As a first-time homeowner, the first thing you should do is get a roof inspection before closing. When 31% of the most common problems found during home inspections are related to roofs, it’s not a step you can afford to miss. Home walkthroughs with an untrained eye can’t spot underlying roofing issues.

If the current homeowners patched an area of the roof where a leak occurred, and it spread into the attic insulation, this can cause material rot and mold growth below the surface—where a patch won’t fix the problem and leave you with costly repairs. As a result, you can negotiate for a lower selling price or for the current homeowners to cover the repair costs.  

Residential roofing companies provide roof inspections to not only identify existing damage but also vulnerabilities that put your home at risk. Loose roofing materials, membrane underlay holes, or gaps in the flashing can cause significant water intrusion that you wouldn’t see without a professional roof inspection

As best practice, you should hire roofers to inspect your roof bi-annually and after major storms. However, there are signs of damage you can look for safely without climbing onto your roof. If you see scattered shingles on the ground or roofing material granules in your gutters, you should get your roof inspected and repaired before they grow into severe structural issues. 

Seasonal Roof Maintenance Tips

Like all aspects of your home, your roof requires routine care. While each roofing system has varying lifespans, you can preserve its longevity with seasonal maintenance. 

Roof maintenance for each season typically involves:

  • Spring: Clearing debris and checking for winter damage, like moisture under your roofing materials or mold
  • Summer: Inspecting for heat and UV-related damage, like curled or bruised shingles, and preparing for storms
  • Fall: Cleaning gutters from foliage and looking for proper attic airflow
  • Winter: Checking for ice dams and snow buildup in vulnerable roof areas, including skylights and chimneys 

Preventative Maintenance

In addition to seasonal roof care, preventative maintenance is highly recommended for first-time homeowners. It’s more than about preserving your roof’s lifespan and preventing costly repairs. It also ensures your home’s structural integrity isn’t compromised, risking the safety of those living inside. 

Preventative roof maintenance should include:

  • Regular gutter cleaning, especially during high foliage and snowfall seasons 
  • Landscaping of overhanging trees and branches to prevent impact-related damages and pest infestation 
  • Hiring residential roofing companies to coat your roof’s materials for extended durability against high heat, UV radiation, overall wear and tear, and premature deterioration 

Start Your Homeownership Journey Strong—Book Your First Roof Inspection Today

As a first-time homeowner, you’re making a significant investment, and your roof is a major part of it. While these roof care tips help, consulting with residential roofing companies for detailed inspections maximizes your investment and safety.

At Kidd Roofing, we offer roof maintenance packages, including inspections and emergency repairs, to ensure your new home protects you as it should. We’ll personally assess your roofing system to confirm the structure isn’t compromised and recommend preventive maintenance services for vulnerabilities we may find.

Ready to give your new home the roof it requires?

Learn more about our residential roofing services, or book your roof inspection today!