With good care, your roof can last a long time, but there are many mistakes you may be making that can impact the health of your roof. Not only does this reduce the lifespan, but it increases the risk of leaks and other damage. If you would like to know more, check out these three common mistakes that impact your roof.

1. Ignoring Minor Damage  

You may think your roof is fine unless there is a big hole. However, even minor damage can lead to severe issues. Common minor damage includes:

• Damaged and missing shingles
• Decay, rot, and water damage
• Rust on metal roofs
• Rusted and damaged flashing
• Gaps around vents, chimneys, and pipes

A lot of this wear and tear occurs because of a lack of maintenance. If left untreated, it can lead to more complex issues like mold inside the house, damaged insulation, damage to the roof's underlayment, roof collapse, and much more.

On top of that, insurance doesn't cover the cost of damage from wear and tear. Sudden damage like damage from a storm, however, may be covered. Unfortunately, if you don't maintain your roof, the insurance carrier may argue the damage was caused by wear and tear and refuse to pay. Even if they do pay, the poor quality of the roof can affect your payout.

2. Letting Debris Build

Debris naturally builds on the roof. The wind can blow leaves, branches, and other debris onto your roof. Tree branches hanging over the roof also increase debris, and depending on the type of roof, moss may also start to grow. Regardless of how it got there, you should keep your roof clean of debris.

Debris can damage the roof's shingles, but it also adds weight to the roof, which can damage it. Most importantly, however, debris can prevent water from reaching the gutters. This exposes the roof to water for longer, which increases the risk of damage like decay and leaks.

3. Neglecting the Gutters

Your gutters take rainwater and transport it away from the roof and house. Without gutters, the water simply falls off the roof, which can cause severe water damage to the edge of the roof, the side of the house, the foundation, and the ground. Damaged gutters and clogged gutters also present this same problem.

During the winter, ice dams may form on clogged gutters. Since the roof is warmer than the ice-packed gutters, the snow on the roof melts faster than an ice dam. As a result, the water simply sits at the edge of your roof.

Your roof is an important part of your home, but it's easy to neglect maintenance. Common mistakes can increase the risk of damage and shorten the lifespan of the roof. If you would like to know more, contact a roofing company in your area today.