A house has two main exterior surfaces worth a plan: the roof and the concrete. Both age the same way, by water getting in, and both respond to the same rhythm of inspection and protection.
Spring: look for winter damage
After the last freeze, walk the property. On the roof, look for lifted or missing shingles and granules in the gutters. On the concrete, look for new cracks, scaled patches and open joints.
Spring is also the right time to clean: growth has finished its winter dormancy and the surface is about to be tested by summer sun.
Summer: sun and growth
UV does its work in the hot months. This is when shingles dry out and when algae spreads across shaded slopes. Keeping trees trimmed back and debris off the roof does more than most homeowners expect.
On concrete, summer is the practical window for cleaning, repairing joints and applying protection, because the surface needs dry weather to cure.
Autumn: clear before the freeze
Leaves in valleys and gutters hold water against both surfaces all winter. Clearing them before the first freeze is the single most useful half hour of the year.
Check the downspouts discharge clear of the driveway, and that soil has not been built up against the slab edges.
Winter: avoid adding damage
Use sand or a non-chloride de-icer on concrete where you can, and never chip ice off a slab with a metal tool. On the roof, keep people off it: a cold shingle is brittle.
Then note what you saw, so the spring assessment starts from evidence rather than memory.
When to bring someone in
Cleaning, clearing and inspection are homeowner jobs. Anything involving a ladder in winter, an active leak, or a surface that has stopped shedding water is a professional visit.
Our free assessment covers both surfaces and tells you which, if either, is worth treating now.
Source
Written for Dr. Armor. The original GoNano article this guide draws on: A guide to maintaining roofs and concrete
Questions
Common questions, answered in full
- How long does roof rejuvenation last?Coverage runs from 3 to 20 years, and the roof’s condition score decides which.
- Can you treat a roof that is leaking?No. A leak is a repair job and has to be fixed before any treatment.
- What does the warranty cover?Peeling, curling or warping caused by the treatment, and water getting through.