Combating the Headache of Cedar Shake Roof Maintenance

A cedar wood shake roof is a roofing option that works for any home. It can transform the look of a home and really make a statement. Unfortunately, there is a lot of roof maintenance required to keep this roofing material looking good and functional. So, before you jump into installing a shake roof on your home, take some time to learn about the shake roof maintenance you can expect with cedar so you can make an educated decision.

Cedar Shake Roof Maintenance

A shake roof can last about 30 years, with the right wood shake roof maintenance. Maintaining this kind of roof takes a lot of work, and needs to be done regularly to avoid faster deterioration. Ideally, complete cedar shingle roof maintenance should be performed every 2 to 4 years, but some of these steps should be completed more often. Here are a few of the frequent maintenance requirements of red cedar shake roofs:

Removing Debris

One of the first steps in cedar roof maintenance is to clean it of any debris. This includes things like fallen leaves, conifer needles, mosses, and lichens. This kind of debris can make it harder for any water runoff to escape the roof. In addition, debris has the potential to retain moisture, which will allow wood-destroying fungus to begin growing. These fungi are notorious for retaining moisture, which can weaken shake shingles and cause them to become brittle and break more quickly.

Vegetation Removal

Beyond removing debris as part of your cedar shingle maintenance, you should also perform vegetation removal. Something as simple as removing tree branches that hang over your home can help to expand the life of your shake roofing. 

By removing overhanging branches, the roof will be able to dry much faster, so that there is less water retention and therefore less chance for harmful fungi to grow. Removing extra branches for cedar care roof maintenance will also significantly decrease the likelihood of a tree on fire setting your roof ablaze.

Cleaning the Gutters

Another essential step in cedar shake maintenance is to clean your home’s gutters. While this may sound like a strange step for wood shake roof maintenance, it is actually imperative. 

The purpose of your home's gutters is to take rainwater runoff and redirect it away from the home so that it cannot harm the roof or foundation. When the gutters get clogged they have a harder time handling water runoff. This can lead to serious backups that will leave rainwater soaking into your shake shingles, which can lead to rotting or deterioration of the roof. 

For the best cedar shake maintenance, you should be cleaning your gutters out on a regular basis, especially during the fall, when the leaves are falling off of trees and into the gutter system.

Surface Roof Cleaning

A good surface cleaning is another step in proper cedar shake maintenance. While it is seen as a more cosmetic part of cedar shake maintenance, it can be beneficial in maintaining the strength and integrity of your roof. By power washing the roof, you can remove weaker pieces of weathered wood. It can also help to remove any remaining mosses or fungi that can end up damaging the roof over time. 

Treatments

One of the benefits of routine maintenance is that red cedar shingles are naturally more resistant to moisture uptake. This can help to slightly lessen the amount of shingle maintenance required.

Various treatments can be performed as part of the cedar shake roof maintenance every couple of years. This includes water repellents, fungicides, algaecides, and fire repellents. These treatments may claim a long life, but it is best to apply them every 1 to 3 years as part of your regular cedar shake roof maintenance.

Regular Inspection Practices

Regularly inspecting your cedar shake roof by running through a detailed checklist is another must if you want to extend its longevity as long as possible. A regular shake roof maintenance inspection doesn’t just consist of looking around a bit, and should ideally be done by a professional roofer if you want the most thorough checkup you can get. However, you can do it DIY as long as you follow these steps to the tee. 

First, you’ll want to take notes on your phone if possible. Check to see from a distance if there are any issues like tree branches or anything rubbing up against the roof. Look for signs of discoloration which can indicate moss or mildew. Has the sun bleached your roof in any spots or has water discolored it?

Also, look to see if the shakes are properly aligned or if there are any missing. Next, you’ll need to go up on your roof if it’s safe, and take a closer look. Look for small damage to individual shingles, and smaller signs of moss or algae that may have been missed from far away. Look and see if your shakes are warping, cupping, or buckling.

Make sure to look for rust on any metal on your roof, and damp spots that don’t dry out. These can indicate a water drainage issue or a problem with the underlayment. Finally, go inside and check from below to see if there are any water spots on the ceiling or signs of mold in the attic.

Preventative Measures

Aside from performing a basic checkup a few times per year, the main preventative measures you’ll need to take during cedar shake roof maintenance is to apply a protective coating to it every so often. 

Water, fungi, fire, and algae all need to be specifically protected against, and each needs its protection reapplied every 1 to 3 years. If you can find an all-in-one protectant, great. If not, you’ll need to apply each protectant separately. Preferably, you would have a roofing pro do this for you because they are less likely to miss any spots or make mistakes.

Repair Techniques

Attempting to repair your cedar shake roof yourself is not something you should do unless you are attempting to replace one or more individual shingles that can be simply pulled up and have a fresh one nailed down in its place. Larger scale repair jobs should be left to the pros because you could void any warranty on your roof by attempting to repair it yourself.

The Need for Professional Services

Professional services may be needed to care for your cedar shake roof in a variety of circumstances. Roof replacement or repair should definitely be done by a professional. 

You can also have your roof applied with a protective coating, power washed, and have any more complicated maintenance done by a professional service as well. This may be expensive in comparison to DIY, but it is recommended for the overall health of your roof. 

Cost Consideration and Budgeting

When performing cedar shake roof maintenance, you need to keep in mind what your budget is. If your budget is unlimited, then you can replace your roof every decade or so, have it regularly power washed and inspected by professionals, and opt for a yearly reapplication of the fanciest, most expensive protective coating you can find. 

Of course, this will probably bleed you dry unless you’re very well off, so you’ll want to meter out your budget to something more reasonable. You only need a protective coating applied every 3 years or so for wood shake roof maintenance, technically. This can also be done DIY to save money. 

Powerwashing and basic repairs can also be done DIY if you’re looking to pinch pennies. In general, however, cedar shake roofs made from real cedar are not for those who are heavily factoring cost into the cedar shake shingles maintenance equation.

A Low-Maintenance Alternative to Cedar Shakes

Real wood shake roof maintenance is extensive and costly. While you can do it yourself to save money, it is always better to leave it to a professional. If you’re not up to the cedar roof maintenance needed, that doesn’t mean you cannot have the beautiful shake roof of your dreams.

CeDUR Roofing Shakes are a better option that are molded after the look of real wood shakes, but made from a lightweight polyurethane material. CeDUR shakes are water-resistant, wind-resistant, and fire-resistant, which makes them incredibly durable. Beyond that, they are easy to install and an incredibly cost-effective option. They can even help to lower your energy bills.

What makes CeDUR’s roof shakes even better is that there is no cedar shingle roof maintenance required. Besides cleaning them with water every so often, you will not have to worry about water-retaining debris, fungi, or performing treatments to preserve the life of the shake roof. 

A shake roof is a beautiful option for homes, but between the high cost to initially install it and the amount of cedar shingle roof maintenance needed, it is not an option for everybody. Fortunately, there are new options on the market that can give you the feel of a cedar shake roof, without all of the required cedar maintenance. 

If you are interested in a cedar shake roof, consider CeDUR’s roofing options–they are beautiful, and have that classic cedar shake appearance, without all of the costly cedar shake maintenance requirements!