Proactive vs. Reactive Maintenance: Which One Is Better?

As your roofing contractors will tell you, it’s important that you conduct proper maintenance on your roof. After all, it’s one of your home’s first line of defense so keeping it in shape can benefit you and your home in the long run. With that in mind, you can perform either reactive and proactive maintenance. Some homeowners make the mistake of thinking reactive is better than proactive. However, there are actually reasons why the opposite is true.

Reactive Maintenance

Typically, reactive maintenance means that unexpected work will be performed only when a critical defect is discovered. Some homeowners prefer to go this route, only calling roof repair contractors when the immediate threat of water intrusion is apparent. While there’s nothing bad about reactive maintenance, it’s just that a sudden repair can cost you a significant amount that you weren’t prepared to pay.

Proactive Maintenance

Proactive maintenance, on the other hand, involves managing your roof with periodic inspections and scheduled repairs. This will allow you to anticipate problems that can occur in your roofing system and compromise your home’s interior. The slightest delay in roof repairs can cost you a significant amount to rectify and can also cause mold and mildew problems that can be hazardous to your household’s health. Aside from that, it can also net you higher energy costs. Therefore, proactive maintenance can give you an estimated time on when you should get your roof repaired or replaced, which in turn prevents any sudden surprises when it comes to your roof.

What a proactive roof maintenance plan looks like for a home

A plan does not need to be complicated. For most homes it comes down to a short calendar and a folder of records.

• Once a year: a professional inspection, ideally in late spring after the hail season or in the fall before winter.
• After any major storm: a ground-level look, and an inspection if anything seems off.
• Twice a year: clean the gutters, more often if large trees overhang the house.
• Every few years: reseal or replace the small items that wear first, such as pipe boots and exposed sealant at flashing.

Keep a simple record of each visit: the date, what was found, what was fixed and the invoice. That record helps when you sell the house, when you make a warranty claim, and when an insurer asks about the roof.

It also helps to set aside a small amount each year for the roof, so a repair or the eventual replacement does not arrive as a shock. Our roof maintenance page explains what a maintenance visit covers.

For the best roofing services this spring, turn to Lankford Roofing & Construction LLC for your roofing maintenance needs. We are your number one provider of roofing and window replacement services. Give us a call at (903) 465-7677, or fill out our contact form to request a free estimate. We serve homeowners in Denison and Sherman, TX.