3 Things You Can Do To Make Your Cedar Roof Last Longer
Cedar roofing is made from natural materials and while it is quite resilient, it does require some care and maintenance. Both red and white cedars are naturally strong and can weather climatic changes; they both produce oils that make them resistant to rot and pests as well. However, they require a little more care than non-organic roofing materials.
1. Regular Power Washing
Power washing is the best way to keep your roof clean and ensure it looks great. Cedar isn’t like asphalt so it won’t be severely damaged by regular power washing. The pressure will remove all the dust, debris, and mold from the surface and allow the wood to breathe.
It will also ensure any mold or fungus doesn’t linger and slowly damage the wood over time. While there are some DIY pressure-washing tools available in the market, we recommend that you hire a professional to handle the job. They know what level of pressure to use to clean the roof without damaging it.
2. Zinc Strips
The roof is exposed to moisture, snow, heat, shade, and other such elements. No matter how resilient the material you install is, you will eventually have to deal with problems like mold and moss. Zinc strips are an easy and affordable way to keep moss and lichen at bay.
You can just slide a few strips under the cedar shingles and kill the lichen and prevent moss. Copper and lead will also work just as effectively against moss. You can order premade ones from the local hardware store or ask your roofing contractor to place them under the roof during the installation process.
3. Re-staining and Painting every 5 years
Most people love the weathered and natural look of cedar. Both red and white varieties are beautiful in their own way and will give your home a distinctive look. However, if you prefer a more polished and conventional look, you can install stained or painted cedar shingles. However, you’ll have to perform semiannual maintenance and painting to preserve the look of cedar.
Stained and painted cedar can look patchy and weathered if it’s not maintained properly. You need to consider the style of your cedar shingles and sidings carefully and the maintenance requirements before you install them.
If you want to know more about cedar siding, don’t hesitate to contact us at Emerald Cedar Contracting. You can fill in this contact us form and request a call back from us.
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