A cedar shake roof is a dramatic and beautiful way to top off your home. These hand-hewn wooden shingles start off as a beautiful orange color that gracefully fades to a silvery gray over time. But a cedar shake roof isn’t just attractive: it’s durable and has excellent insulating capabilities, keeping your home’s interior comfortable year round.
You can expect your cedar shake roof to last longer than an asphalt shingle roof, but this lifespan can be dramatically reduced if you neglect your cedar roof. This is a roofing material that does require a bit more maintenance than other types of roofs. Once you’re aware of that, you can do what it takes to ensure your cedar shake roof lasts as long as possible. In this article, we’ll fill you in on what you need to know when it comes to how to maintain cedar shake roofs. Check out our cedar shake roof cost calculator to find out how much of an investment a beautiful new cedar roof would be.
Benefits of Cedar Roofing Maintenance
Regardless of type, a roof is a major financial investment in your home. So it makes sense you’d want to extend the useful life of your roof for as long as possible. Below, we’ve outlined some of the benefits of keeping your cedar roof maintained regularly.
Longer lifespan.
If properly maintained, a cedar shake roof can last as long as 40 years. But if it’s left on its own, without any care or attention, some estimates say the shakes may only stay in good shape for 7 to 15 years. That’s cutting the potential lifespan by as much as two-thirds! Regular maintenance can help ensure you don’t have to replace your roof prematurely.
Better resale value.
One of the first things that can scare off potential buyers is a roof that needs to be replaced. Your home will enjoy much better resale value if the cedar shake roof is in good shape with a solid history of regular maintenance. This is something that’s easy to document if you hire a professional to maintain your cedar shake roof (simply pull the receipts).
Identify damage before it gets worse.
While a cedar shake roof is very durable and can stand up to high winds, things like falling objects and large hail can damage the cedar shakes. One of the great things about a cedar shake roof is that it’s relatively simple to repair a small area of damage. However, issues left unaddressed can further damage the roof, or even affect the underlayment or other roofing structures.
Prevent pest issues.
Pests like squirrels, bats, mice, birds and bugs are a threat to any roof, and cedar shake roofs are certainly no exception. These pests can quickly do damage to the wooden shakes and in some cases, even the underlying roofing structure. Regular inspection and maintenance can help cut down on the potential for pest damage.
Address build-up of moss.
Moss is one of the biggest threats to a cedar shake roof. Once it takes hold using the right combination of pH, temperature, humidity and shade, moss can grow and spread quickly. This can damage not only the cedar shakes themselves, but the underlying roofing structure as well. Since moss grows quickly and can come back even when removed, it’s best to hire a professional to handle moss removal from your cedar shake roof. Often, a treatment needs to be applied to prevent and curb regrowth.
How to Maintain Cedar Shake Roofs
Now that you know your cedar shake roof will require some amount of regular maintenance, it’s time to take a look at what that means, exactly. Below are some of the things you’ll need to do in order to keep your cedar shake roof in tip-top shape. If you’re comfortable moving about on your rooftop, it’s possible you could complete some of this maintenance on your own. However, if you feel uncomfortable using a ladder or walking around on your roof, try to find a roofer to do the work for you.
Protective Treatments
A protective treatment should be applied to your cedar shake roof about every one to three years. This can help protect the cedar shakes from harmful UV rays, moisture and other surface damage. A few of the different types of treatments for cedar shake roofs include water repellants, fire retardants, fungicides and algaecides, both of which are effective against moss growth.
Remove branches
Many roofs have tree branches hanging over them, which of course can cause damage during high winds or storms. What’s more, branches overhanging your roof can block the sun’s rays, leading to rapid growth of moss thanks to the shady conditions. While you don’t want your roof to suffer too much of the sun’s UV rays, too little sunlight hitting your roof can also be a problem. So if your cedar shake roof has heavy branch overhang, it’s wise to have them cut back a bit every year or so.
Remove debris
As is the case with any type of roof, you don’t want too much debris to collect on your cedar shake roof. Things like pine needles, sticks and leaves can collect on your roof, especially if it has a lower pitch. These things can retain moisture, which over time can cause your cedar shakes to buckle or bend. Further, moisture is more likely to seep into the underlayment in cases like these.
Roof washing
Yes, a cedar shake roof can be washed. But, you should avoid ever using a power washer on your roof of this type. Doing so can easily loosen or destroy the wooden shakes, causing cupping, buckling, cracking or extensive moisture damage over time. A bit of gentle soap in warm water applied with a soft- to medium-bristled brush is all that’s needed to keep your cedar shake roof clean.
Gutter maintenance
If you’re wondering how to maintain cedar shake roofs, it’s important to understand that more than just the actual shakes need to be maintained. Take your gutters, for instance. Gutters help move standing water off your roof, which is crucial when you have a cedar shake roof. Standing water will damage cedar shakes quickly, so it’s extremely important to always ensure your gutters and downspouts are functional, clear and working at peak capacity to help those shakes dry as quickly as possible after rainfall.