As the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind.

The roof of your home may not be screaming for your attention, but it is important to have it maintained to ensure protection for you and your family from the elements.

When considering maintenance for your roof, there are a few things to keep in mind.

• The age of your roof:

• • If your roof is older than fifteen years, there is a good chance that it has had plenty of time to get a bit of damage. Check your records to find out the date that it was installed and whether it was an entirely new roof, or shingles installed over other layers of roofing.

• The exterior appearance:

• • If you are starting to notice that your shingles are looking damaged, or if there are several missing, there may be underlying problems to deal with. Things like cracked, buckling, curling, or crumbling shingles are a sign that your shingles are loosing their strength and may require replacement.

  • Sagging or changes in the color of your roof should be looked at by a professional roofer to ensure that no structural damage is happening, and to give you a good idea of when it will be time for a replacment.

  • Moss growing on your roof can indicate an increase in moisture building up in or under your shingles. Visual inspections twice a year by yourself or a professional are recommended to gauge the condition of the shingles and to nip any potential problems in the bud.

• The interior appearance:

• • When inspecting the exterior of your roof, don’t forget to have a look inside the attic to check for light coming through, or for water streaks or stains that indicate leaks forming. Large sections of water damage in the interior should be looked at by a professional roofer right away to ensure that there is no structural damage to the beams in your roof.

• Weather

• • If you live in an area with extreme weather, such as high winds, harsh winters, or high humidity, you will want to keep more of an eye on your roof. Harsher conditions can cause faster shingle degradation than average weather and should be considered as a factor when deciding when to have your roof inspected. As well as regular weather in your area, if you experience bad storms in your area, checking your roof after a severe storm is recommended.

As things go, a pinch of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Regular bi-annual checks on the state of your roof by you or a professional roofer can go a quite a ways to protecting the longevity of an integral part of your home.