Guide
The maintenance that actually matters
Most of what shortens a roof is neglect of things that take twenty minutes: a blocked valley, a lifted flashing, a gutter full of grit.
Get it looked at
Three questions, and up to three La Palma contractors. Free either way.
You are on the list.
No provider in La Palma 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.
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.
Deal with growth properly
Moss and algae hold water against the surface. Treat and brush gently, or fit zinc or copper strip near the ridge. Never pressure wash an asphalt roof — it strips the granules and takes years off it in an afternoon.
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.
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
Overhanging limbs cause three problems at once: abrasion, permanent shade that keeps a slope damp, and a highway for rodents into the attic.
Twice a year, from the ground
Walk the perimeter with binoculars if you have them. You are looking for missing or lifted material, dark patches, sagging lines, and anything growing where it should not be. Ten minutes, twice a year.
In short
Put two dates in the calendar, one either side of November through March. That is the whole programme.
Related questions
I rent. Can I use this?
You can submit it, but the owner has to authorise any work, so the useful move is to get the landlord to make the request or to give you permission in writing first. Contractors will not start work for a tenant.
Why does ventilation keep coming up?
It is the most under-sold part of a roof. Trapped heat and moisture shorten shingle life, warp decking, and in cold weather it is what turns snow into an ice dam.
Should I repair or replace?
Rough rule: if the covering has more than about five years left and the damage is confined to one area, repair. If it is at the end of its life or you are patching the third leak in two years, you are paying instalments on a replacement.
What is it going to cost?
Free, no obligation, and your details go to no company until you say yes.