The average costs of installing a new roof made of low-quality shingles can be somewhere near eight to one hundred dollars per square foot.  Considering the expense it is understandable why homeowners delay installing a new roof.  One way homeowners can maximize the lifespan of their current roofs and avoid having to replace their current roof is through maintenance.  Taking care of the homes roof helps to avoid the extra expense of a new roof in the future.

When it comes to taking care of a roof one of the most important elements that needs attention are the roofs gutters. The homes gutters save your roof from many problems associated with water and its leakage.  When water is allowed to enter the home through the roof interior damage will occur from ceiling leaks to the growth of mold.

The Purpose of Gutters on Your Home

Gutters are installed on the perimeter of the roof in order to facilitate water removal.  They help to ensure that water is drawn away from the home. If water accumulates in larger quantities on the roof or along the roof line it can cause a great deal of degradation and reduce the lifespan of your homes roof. Excess water on the roof leads to a number of issues including:

• Moss Growth

Moss is a plant which grows when there is an abundance of water left to sit. The water in which moss prefers to grow is stagnant. This occurs if there is an abundance of stagnant water on the roof.  Without gutters the water on the roof is often not efficiently removed and water is allowed to accumulate near the periphery of the roof or even in the middle. The problems which are associated with this are the damage which shingles bear and the growth of the mosses.

Mosses and other organisms can grow in these locations including dark algae and fungus. Just like the moss, these organisms also don’t do anything good to a roof. Their roots penetrate deep in the shingles causing cracking which can lead to complete weathering of them in the long run.

• Extension of Pores of Shingles

It is said that water determines its own path whether that path is through huge holes or even the tiniest ones. If you think that shingles and other roof components do not have pores, then you are wrong. Even the smoothest surface has tiny pores through which water can find its way in.

Chemistry of Water

Having said that, we know that water is a universal solvent. When the droplets of water fall down from the clouds, they dissolve a lot of chemicals in their way down. These chemicals, such as sulfates and carbonates can find themselves crystallizing in the pores of the surface in which they are taken by the water. Thus, with the passage of time, this crystallization can mount up and eventually can produce cracks and joints on the surface.  Considering the result of water seepage, there is a need to eliminate water from the roof. This is where gutters provide us their applications.

Gutters can become clogged from the fallen leaves from nearby trees, ice dams, or any other coagulant agent. This can totally reduce the capability of the gutters and can, in turn, damage them. For this purpose, there is a need to keep your gutters clean so that the water from the roof doesn’t find its place either in the attic or in the basement.

Cleaning Your Gutters

Often times, gutters cannot be cleaned by the house owners because of the difficulty they face in working on a ladder. If you are one of those, then you can hire a roofing company or any residential roofing contractor to assist.

Learn more about Home Pro Roofing and their vast line of custom roofing options installed by professional roofing contractors including: metal roofing, metal roof repair, and new metal roof installation at http://homeproroofingmi.com/residential-roofing-services-metal-roofing.php. To contact one of our roofing contractors call 810.225.9080 today.