Guide
The maintenance that actually matters
You cannot maintain your way out of old age, but you can comfortably add five years to a roof that is otherwise sound.
Get it looked at
Three questions, and up to three Long Beach contractors. Free either way.
You are on the list.
No provider in Long Beach is taking requests through this service yet. We are lining them up, and yours is kept until one can.
- Nobody gets your details yet. Your request stays with us and is not passed to any company.
- One email when someone can help. When a provider covering your area can take it on, we email you once and ask whether you want that company, by name, to contact you.
- Deleted after 90 days. If nobody can take it on, or you do not say yes, your contact details are deleted 90 days after your request.
- You decide, or you do not. There is nothing to cancel and nothing to pay us.
Nobody will call you about this request unless you say yes to a company by name.
Look in the attic after heavy weather
The attic shows a leak long before the ceiling does. After any serious storm, take a torch up and look at the underside of the deck around penetrations and valleys.
Cut back anything touching the roof
Branches abrade the surface in wind and drop debris that holds moisture. Keep growth well clear of the covering, and clear of the gutters while you are at it.
Twice a year, from the ground
You do not need to be on the roof to find most problems. A slow lap of the house at a low angle finds nearly all of them.
Deal with growth properly
Cleaning a roof aggressively does more damage than the growth was doing. Gentle treatment, patience, and a strip at the ridge to stop it returning.
Keep the penetrations honest
Pipe boots crack, sealant shrinks, and satellite mounts get screwed straight through the covering. Every penetration is a hole somebody decided to make watertight, and each is worth a look.
Clear the gutters before the wet season
Gutters full of grit are not just a drainage problem — the grit is your roof, and its presence tells you something about how far along the covering is.
In short
None of this is difficult and none of it is expensive. It is simply the difference between a roof that reaches its rated life and one that does not.
Related questions
What happens to my information?
It goes to a maximum of three roofing contractors working in Long Beach, and to nobody else. We do not sell it as a mailing list and we do not post it anywhere public. Our privacy policy sets out exactly what is shared.
Do I need a permit?
Almost certainly, for a full replacement. The contractor should pull it, and the fee should be a visible line on the quote rather than a surprise.
Is moss on the roof a problem?
Yes, eventually. Moss holds water against the shingle and lifts the edges as it thickens. Zinc or copper strip at the ridge suppresses it. Pressure washing an asphalt roof strips the granules and does more harm than the moss did.