Having a dirty roof is not only unsightly, but it can actually deteriorate your roof over time and can cause damage to both the value and the appearance of your home. Nowadays, many homeowners have bought a house that is part of a homeowner’s association (HOA). A major part of this association’s work is to make sure that all the homes in a given neighbourhood look their best and that proper maintenance is being done before things get out of control. For example, if you decide to let your lawn grow quite long before cutting it, you might get a letter from your HOA asking you to take better care of your lawn from now on. The same rules apply to your roof. It has to be maintained for the sake of its appearance in the neighborhood. Below are a few reasons why keeping your roof clean is so important.
Of course, a house with a roof that is in excellent shape is worth more than a home with a leaky or visibly damaged roof. Planning for proper maintenance of your roof through regular cleanings is always a great way to keep your roof in great shape and to keep it looking new as well. Damage to your roof such as stains, mold, algae and stuck-on debris are likely to occur in a humid and wet climate like Florida, but hiring a professional cleaning company can keep all of these things at bay. Your local HOA will ensure that you keep up with this type of maintenance because a home with a bad roof not only lowers the value of your own home, it also lowers the values of your immediate neighbors because nobody likes to look at a dingy roof or live next to the house that appears to be falling apart. For the sake of everyone’s home values, the HOA for your neighborhood won’t go easy on you for falling behind on your maintenance. Eventually, they may even fine you for not complying as a way to push you into planning maintenance sooner than later.
Not only are letters and fines from your HOA unpleasant, damage to your roof caused by neglect is also quite a costly adventure. Some homeowners mistakenly believe that they can allow shingles to stain or fall apart because they are guaranteed for a number of years. However, if you read the fine print you will notice that any roofing material isn’t covered by warranty when it hasn’t been properly maintained by trained professionals on a regular basis. So, not only will you be faced with HOA fees due to avoiding maintenance and regular cleanings, you will also have to pony up for a new roof altogether much sooner than you may have hoped or you may be faced with repeat fines for an unsightly roof. The cost to keep a roof clean is minimal compared to the damage that algae and mold can inflict on your home’s value and structural integrity. Keeping your roof clean can also help you with home insurance costs, since repeat fines from your HOA can be reported to your insurance company and cause your rates to go up as a result.
As annoying as your HOA can be, they are designed to help you keep your roof in top shape so that you can avoid untimely repairs or damage. HOA’s know that replacing a roof is no small financial decision, so some homeowners become stuck once the roof is allowed to deteriorate too far and have to save up for a while before they can afford to replace their roof. The time that the house spends looking less than perfect can affect the value of other homes nearby as well as the actual home with a damaged or visibly stained roof. It is always best if a home is never allowed to fall into this state of disrepair, which is why HOA’s encourage regular roof cleanings for all homes under their supervision. Algae, mold and fungi all feed off of wood and asphalt shingles and Florida’s climate is perfect for growing these types of roof-damaging species at a rapid rate. Since it is relatively easy to have the roof cleaned before the shingles can become damaged, you can maintain the promised lifespan of your shingles.
In order to avoid the bad list at your HOA, it is best to know the rules and stick to them. If your roof needs to be clean and maintained, it is recommended to have your roof professionally cleaned at least once per year. This will keep stains from appearing or from becoming permanent and will make sure that your roofing material doesn’t start to fall apart before its intended lifespan has been reached. After all, a dirty roof can lose half of its promised lifespan in a humid climate without proper maintenance and care. It also keeps your home value as high as possible for the sake of yourself and your neighbors.
We offer free roof cleaning estimates! Give us a call at 407.256.8610 or contact us online here.