Quick, homeowner-level checks you can handle yourself a few times a year.
- Inspect From the Ground
- Check and Clean Gutters/Downspouts
- Remove Leaves, Debris, and Tree Fall-Out
- Check Interior Ceilings for Water Stains
- Post-Storm Inspections
Owning a home takes work. The clock starts ticking down on the parts and systems within your house from the moment you sign the deed, and as the years roll by, regular maintenance quickly becomes one of the best ways to prevent costly repairs and keep age-related deterioration in check.
From simple tasks like changing the batteries in your smoke alarm to scheduling professional inspections, staying on top of tasks like these is always safer than putting them off. And since your roof is your home’s first line of defense against the elements, it’s also where every home maintenance plan should start.
Roof maintenance should always include all of the ongoing care that keeps the layers of your roofing system in good working condition:
Some of these tasks need to happen seasonally or after storms. Others only come up once or twice over the life of your roof, but none are optional if you want your roof to last.
Installing a new asphalt shingle roof is one of the biggest expenses most homeowners will ever face. Even simple repairs can cost thousands of dollars! While no roof lasts forever, putting a little effort into maintaining the one you have now will reduce how much you spend on it over time.
It’s also the best way to put off a life-disrupting total replacement.
The bottom line? Regular roof maintenance is far cheaper than a new roof.
Start at ~$150
Includes jobs like resealing flashing, replacing a handful of shingles, or sealing exposed nails.
~$20,000+
The worst-case scenario when deferred maintenance turns into a roof that can’t be saved.
~$1,000–$7,000+
Includes jobs like leak fixes, decking replacement, new underlayment, holes, or water damage.
The simple answer to this question is all of them.
But it’s a bit more complicated than that.
Roofing is a complex system of components and materials that work together to protect your home from the elements and keep moisture out. Each layer must be in optimal condition in order for that to happen. It only takes one tiny problem with any one part for problems to start snowballing faster and faster.
Roofing problems can happen to anyone at any time. While regular maintenance is an effective way to reduce your risk, even a properly cared-for roof will need a little TLC now and again.
Knowing what can go wrong, how to spot red flags, and how to resolve roof trouble for good will save you a significant amount of time, money, and headaches over the years. It will also help you build a more comprehensive maintenance strategy that includes prevention and solutions tailored to your roof.
Shingles can begin to curl, buckle, or lift away from the roof deck as they age. This happens because the petrochemical oils inside the asphalt core dry out over time. Most of the time, damage will begin at the edges or where they connect to the roof.
Impact-resistant shingles are an option because they’re firmer and less likely to bend or warp in the first place, but they do cost more upfront.
Roof Maxx treatments replace the petrochemical oils your shingles lose with safe, all-natural bio-oils, helping them lie flat again.
New shingles are flexible enough to bend in half without breaking, but once they start to dry out, they can develop cracks. You may find large pieces of shingle in your gutters or yard if this happens, especially after storms.
Roof Maxx is an excellent option for asphalt shingle roofs with limited cracking due to age as long as the rest of your shingles are still in generally good condition.
Roof Maxx treatments make shingles flexible again so they can expand and contract with the weather and are less likely to blow off during a storm.
Ongoing granule loss across large sections of the roof usually means the shingles are nearing the end of their lifespan or aren’t suited for your climate. This is a good time to schedule a deeper inspection.
Roof Maxx is scientifically proven to improve granule adhesion to levels close to those found in new shingles.
Small dents, pockmarks, or bruised areas in your shingles are usually caused by hail, flying debris, or falling branches. Deeper impacts from limb strikes or very large hail can actually weaken the shingle or even break through its surface, which is a recipe for leaks.
Roof Maxx boosts shingle flexibility so significantly that it reduces the size of depressions like these by up to 24%.
Never climb up onto an icy roof! Icicles should be removed carefully to avoid injury. If you can reach them easily, you can knock them down from the ground using a roof rake or a long-handled tool. Installing heating cables may help in the short-term.
Have a professional come in to make sure you have adequate ventilation in your attic or crawl space. As with ice dams, removing the first 3-4 feet of snow or ice from the ground after every storm may also help.
Stains that keep reappearing usually mean moisture is still getting in somewhere. Keep working to trace the source, because covering the stain without fixing the cause will only lead to more damage over time.
Repeated leaks around connection points like these usually stems from poor installation practices or faulty materials. Consider getting a second opinion or installing different flashing.
Attic temperature problems happen when your attic gets too hot in summer or too cold in winter. Sometimes, the top floor of your home will follow the same pattern, especially if you live in an older house.
Growths should be treated with an appropriate cleaning solution and gently scrubbed away with a soft deck brush. Zinc or copper strips can be installed along the ridge to inhibit future growth with each rainfall.
Roof Maxx contains a natural fungicide that inhibits moss and algae growth. Having your shingles treated will make your roof less hospitable to organic growths in the future.
A 30-year timeline of maintenance tasks to help keep you on track
Quick, homeowner-level checks you can handle yourself a few times a year.
Annual checks that help you catch minor problems earlier.
Longer-term tasks that extend the life of your roof.
Reactive repairs that can't wait for the next scheduled visit.
Roof Maxx is the only maintenance option that’s proven to slow down or even reverse signs of aging on asphalt shingles. Instead of just sitting on the surface, it treats the root cause of shingle degradation by soaking down deep into the asphalt core, making it flexible again.
Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against the weather. Your shingles play the same role for your entire roof, which is why keeping them in good condition is so essential. But scheduling a treatment will also help you get more life out of your existing roof so you spend less on roof care over time.
Every Roof Maxx visit follows the same three-step process.
Roof maintenance should always start with a thorough assessment of your roof, which is exactly why every Roof Maxx treatment process starts with a free Roof Health Check. Technicians look for the most common problems roofers find and fix on asphalt shingle roofs every single day.
If your roof is structurally sound, but still needs attention, we’ll give it a score based on what we find and use the info to recommend what comes next.
A score of 2 means it’s time to take care of basic maintenance needs before they get worse. Your Roof Maxx dealer may be able to handle any minor repairs for you as part of our optional Roof Tune-Up package. Maintenance tasks like these typically include any or all of the following tasks.
Some shingles loosen or fail long before the roof itself reaches the end of its lifespan. During a Roof Tune-Up, damaged shingles may be replaced, lifted shingles may be hand-sealed, and exposed nails may be sealed to prevent moisture intrusion.
Addressing isolated problem areas helps maintain the integrity of the roof system and reduces the risk of leaks forming around weakened shingles.
Many roof leaks begin at transition points or in your flashing, not in the middle of the shingle field itself. Components like rubber plumbing vent gaskets, rubber grommet screws, and sealant lines naturally wear down over time. A Roof Tune-Up may also include resealing deteriorated caulking, replacing cracked gaskets, and reinforcing vulnerable flashing areas to restore proper waterproofing.
Water that cannot drain properly will sit against roofing materials and accelerate wear. Clogged gutters, failing hidden hangers, debris buildup, and overhanging branches all contribute to premature deterioration. Clearing debris, maintaining proper drainage, and keeping branches trimmed helps protect both the roof surface and the structure beneath it.
Addressing areas like these helps ensure your roof is ready to benefit from Roof Maxx treatments, but it also reduces the risk that you’ll need a total replacement early. It’s our way of helping to strengthen your protection from the top down so you have one less issue to worry about.
With your roof cleaned, inspected, and prepped, it’s time to apply Roof Maxx!
Your local Roof Maxx dealer spray the treatment across your entire roof. The solution will slowly absorb into your shingles and restore flexibility over the next 72 hours, softening the asphalt core so they can perform more like they did when they were new.
It’s fast, safe, low-impact, and you’ll hardly know we were there!
A single treatment can extend the life of your roof by up to five years. Have it reapplied up to two more times at five-year intervals and you could enjoy up to 15 more years of life instead. Roof maintenance like this just makes sense.
Watch a Roof Maxx treatment and see how the process works for yourself! The video in the link below explains everything your local dealer will do during your treatment so that you know what to expect.
Find out exactly how much you’ll save with Roof Maxx, which typically costs up to 80% less than the price of a full roof replacement. Get a free quote from a Roof Maxx dealer in your area by reaching out below.
Learn more about how your roof works, why regular repairs and Roof Maxx are the best option for longevity, and how the parts of a roof work.
Get answers to the questions homeowners across North America ask us most often about Roof Maxx.
Great question. Granule buildup in gutters that blocks water runoff, curled shingle edges, small nail pops, and brittle vent pipe gaskets often appear long before leaks, mold and mildew, or rot. If inspections caught these problems sooner, fewer homeowners would have to deal with sudden emergencies or failures.
Roof Maxx costs up to 80% less than a full roof replacement. This allows homeowners to reallocate money for other important home improvement projects or life expenses while avoiding the disruption of a complete tear-off.