How do you maintain an asphalt shingle roof?
Updated August 2026
An asphalt roof asks for two ground-level inspections a year, spring and fall, plus a look after any wind or hail event. You are hunting for cracked, curling, or missing shingles, bald spots where the granules washed off, and lifted flashing. The single most common early leak is not the field of shingles at all: it is a cracked rubber pipe boot, which dries out and splits at 10 to 15 years while the shingles are still fine. Keep up and the roof reaches its 20 to 25-year life (architectural shingles 25 to 30).
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Scan from the ground with binoculars for missing or curling shingles | Spring and fall | 15 min · DIY |
| Check for granules collecting in the gutters | Spring and fall | 10 min · DIY |
| Inspect flashing at valleys, chimney, and walls | Spring and fall | 15 min · DIY |
| Look over rubber pipe boots for cracks and gaps | Spring and fall | 10 min · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Clear leaves and debris off the roof and out of valleys | Each season | 30 min · DIY |
| Treat moss or dark algae streaks before they spread | As it appears | $0–40 DIY |
| Trim branches back 6 to 10 ft from the roof | Yearly | 1 hr · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Replace dried, cracked pipe boots | 10–15 years | $150–400 pro |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Professional roof inspection, especially past year 15 | Yearly | $150–350 pro |
What neglect costs
A split pipe boot or one blown-off shingle looks like nothing, and that is the trap: water runs in behind it and rots the decking and rafters for months before a stain reaches the ceiling. The bill for a small roof leak left alone climbs from a $200 boot into $2,000 to $6,000 of deck, insulation, and drywall work, and a single missing shingle exposes the felt to the same slow soak. A full tear-off and reroof runs $5,500 to $12,000 on an average home, so the twice-a-year look is cheap insurance.
Leave these to a pro
Anything that means standing on the roof belongs to a roofer, both for your safety and because untrained feet crack shingles. A professional inspection runs $150 to $350 and is worth booking yearly once the roof passes 15 years, since that is when boots, sealant, and flashing start failing together. Replacing pipe boots, resealing flashing, and swapping a handful of blown shingles are small repair calls, often $150 to $600, that head off the five-figure reroof. Moss removal is DIY with a zinc strip and a gentle wash, never a pressure washer.
This whole checklist ships as reminders in OnOtto: every task above, on the right schedule for your home, snooze-proof.
Load this checklist as remindersFrequently asked questions
Should I walk on my roof to inspect it?
Avoid it. Asphalt shingles are slick when damp, get brittle in the cold, and your weight can crack them or scuff off protective granules, and a fall from a roof is a serious injury. Almost everything worth seeing shows up through binoculars from the ground or a ladder set at the eave: curling, missing pieces, dark bald patches, and lifted flashing. Leave the walk-on inspection to a roofer with harness and proper footwear, who can also read wear you would miss.
What does granule loss in the gutter mean?
Those sandy granules are the shingle's sun and weather shield, and a fresh roof always sheds a little, especially the first season. Heavy granule loss on an older roof is different: it means the asphalt underneath is now exposed to UV and will dry, crack, and curl. If you see bald black patches on the shingles themselves and piles of grit at the downspouts, the roof is aging out and it is time to price a replacement.
How do I get rid of moss on shingles?
Never pressure wash it, which strips granules and voids many warranties. Instead apply a moss killer or a 50/50 water and household bleach mix on a cloudy day, let it sit, then rinse gently and let the dead moss weather off over a few weeks. To keep it from coming back, fit zinc or copper strips along the ridge; every rain washes a trace of metal down the slope that moss and algae will not grow through. Trimming back shade helps most of all.
When is a shingle roof too old to just repair?
Once a roof is past about 20 years and showing widespread curling, bald granule loss, and multiple leaks, patching becomes throwing good money after bad, because the whole field is failing at once. New shingles also will not lie flat or color-match against decades-old ones. A rough rule: if repairs in a year approach a quarter of a reroof, or the deck is soft underfoot, replace. A pro inspection settles it and the cost calculator helps you plan the spend.