Guide
The maintenance that actually matters
Most of what shortens a roof is neglect of things that take twenty minutes: a blocked valley, a lifted flashing, a gutter full of grit.
Get it looked at
Three questions, and up to three Upland contractors. Free either way.
You are on the list.
No provider in Upland is taking requests through this service yet. We are lining them up, and yours is kept until one can.
- Nobody gets your details yet. Your request stays with us and is not passed to any company.
- One email when someone can help. When a provider covering your area can take it on, we email you once and ask whether you want that company, by name, to contact you.
- Deleted after 90 days. If nobody can take it on, or you do not say yes, your contact details are deleted 90 days after your request.
- You decide, or you do not. There is nothing to cancel and nothing to pay us.
Nobody will call you about this request unless you say yes to a company by name.
Cut back anything touching the roof
Branches abrade the surface in wind and drop debris that holds moisture. Keep growth well clear of the covering, and clear of the gutters while you are at it.
Look in the attic after heavy weather
The attic shows a leak long before the ceiling does. After any serious storm, take a torch up and look at the underside of the deck around penetrations and valleys.
Keep the penetrations honest
Rubber pipe boots are the single most common source of leaks on an otherwise sound roof, and they are cheap to replace before they fail.
Clear the gutters before the wet season
Blocked gutters back water up under the bottom course of shingles and rot the fascia behind them. This is the highest-value hour of maintenance there is, and here it wants doing before November through March.
Deal with growth properly
Cleaning a roof aggressively does more damage than the growth was doing. Gentle treatment, patience, and a strip at the ridge to stop it returning.
Twice a year, from the ground
Walk the perimeter with binoculars if you have them. You are looking for missing or lifted material, dark patches, sagging lines, and anything growing where it should not be. Ten minutes, twice a year.
In short
None of this is difficult and none of it is expensive. It is simply the difference between a roof that reaches its rated life and one that does not.
Related questions
What if the decking is rotten underneath?
Some of it usually is. The important thing is that the price per sheet is agreed in writing before the tear-off, so the conversation on day two is about quantity rather than rate.
Why does ventilation keep coming up?
It is the most under-sold part of a roof. Trapped heat and moisture shorten shingle life, warp decking, and in cold weather it is what turns snow into an ice dam.
I rent. Can I use this?
Only the owner can approve roofing work. If you are renting, the fastest route is to send this to your landlord or property manager rather than gathering quotes nobody can act on.
Ready for a real number?
No cost. We email you once when a provider near you can take it on.