Spring has come and it’s time for you to enjoy the warm months in your home. And also, spring is a time to clean and tidy up the exterior of your home. Among other things, it’s also an excellent time to give your roof the attention it needs after a long winter. The roof is the outer part of your house. It is a protector for your home. And after the harsh winters, you have to check the condition of your roof. This is because winter weather can damage your roofing system. Winter allows your roof to be exposed to snow and strong winds. And this can cause damage to your roof. Winter storms can harm shingles, flashing, gutters, down spouts, soffit or facia. Therefore you need to inspect your roof to identify damage and perform some roof maintenance. You need to do this for your comfort in enjoying spring at home.
Whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or rely on the expertise of a roofing contractor, spring is an ideal time to check your roof for damage from winter. Taking care of these minor issues can save you big money on repairs later down the line. Here are a few ideas to help get your roof in tip-top shape for the season.
Clean Debris
As the weather warms up and plants begin to grow, there’s a lot of debris that can fall on your roof. This can include leaves, pine needles, twigs, and other debris. Cleaning up these materials can help extend the life of your roof. It can also help prevent a number of issues from developing, including algae growth, mildew, and leaks.
This is a simple, yet necessary spring roof maintenance idea. You can clean debris off your roof using a broom, or you can use a leaf blower to speed up the process. Make sure to start at the top and work your way down. This will help you avoid having to sweep debris onto areas that have already been cleaned.
After winter is over, it’s time for you to clean the roof of the house from the remaining debris in the roof area. Just use a roof cleaning tool such as a leaf blower to make your work easier every year to welcome spring. This leaf blower has a handle that is long enough to make it easier for you to clean the highest roof areas more effectively. Use Blower Leaf from @revival_exteriors
It’s good after you sweep the roof from fallen leaf debris, then brush it for a final look that is more shiny and free from any fungus or bacteria that can develop properly. Use cleaning fluid if necessary, this mop or roof brush has a special, sophisticated design without you having to rub the brush with your own hands which can cause sore wrists. Clean and Brush the Roof from @revival_exteriors
Look at the part of the roof that is dirty with leaves and small branches, isn’t it very unhealthy and can be used as an area for insects to grow? Yes, you can clean it up to welcome a joyful spring. Not only dry leaves, but you can also clean them from attached debris. This roof cleaning can be done alone or you can also call a professional to make it more optimal. Sweep Dry Leaves and Debris from @the_keithgober
Trim and Prune Your Trees
It is important to trim away any tree limbs or branches that are getting too close to your roof, as they can scrape against your shingles and remove the protective granule. Overhanging tree branches are one of the biggest hazards to roofs. In addition to falling leaves that can contaminate your roof, branches can fall on your roof and this can cause damage to your roof. Lush trees on your roof will introduce humidity and can encourage the growth of mold and algae. If not addressed immediately can cause further damage. So you have to prune your tree.
If there are tree branches on the roof of your house, do the pruning using sophisticated garden tools so that it can be done easily. Pruning tree branches is intended so that when they are dry and exposed to the wind they do not fall on the roof area which will cause leaks or make the roof of the house more easily dirty. This is one of the roof maintenance that can be done every year. Prune the Twig from @cincygutterboys
Is your house surrounded by trees that are tall enough? If so, then you can trim it and just cut it to minimize the roof getting dirty easily and causing leaks when it is hit by a large tree trunk. This tree pruning can only be done by professionals every year or you can adjust it according to the growth of the tree when it looks tall again. Prune Tall Trees from @greenline.architects
Clean Gutters
Gutters are a vital component of your home’s drainage system. Without them, water that accumulates on your roof during the winter months could cause serious damage to your home’s foundation and shingles. The spring is a great time to take stock of your gutters and make sure that they are functioning properly. It is also an excellent opportunity to clean out any accumulated debris that might have clogged them during the winter. This is a task that should be done at least twice a year, preferably in early spring and fall. Cleaning your gutters will help ensure that rain can drain off of your roof safely and reduce the risk of ice dams in the winter.
Not only focusing on the roof, but you can also clean the gutter which will be the way for water to go down through the pipeline that has been installed. If the gutter is filled with dry leaves, then you can clean it so that rainwater can flow smoothly and minimize your roof leaking due to stagnant water. Free of Debris and Dry Leaves from @home_on_h_street
When cleaning the gutter, you can use a tool that looks like a spoon, but has a fairly large size with a longer handle. Do not use your hands so that dry tree branches do not stab and avoid insects that can bite your hands. This organic waste can be collected and then put in a trash bag to make it easier for you to bring it down for disposal. Gutter cleaning tools can be obtained online at affordable prices. Use the Gutter Clean Tool from @windowgangsavannah
If you don’t do routine maintenance on the gutter area then see what happens, the surface will be filled with weeds. Stagnant water in the gutter can also be used for the development of mosquito eggs. Clean the gutter from weeds so that rainwater can flow properly and optimally. Clean Up What’s Clogging from @crowntownrestoration
Inspect Your Shingles
After a long winter, it’s important to do a thorough roof inspection before the spring season starts. This is especially true if you live in the Midwest where winter storms can take their toll on your home’s foundation.
It’s also a good idea to do a regular inspection to ensure your shingles are still in great condition. Shingles are susceptible to damage from high winds, hail, and everyday wear and tear. You can check your shingles to make sure need of repair or replacement. To look for cracks, loose shingles, blistering, and buckling. A roof can also be damaged by shingle granule loss, which is a common sign of aging. This causes shingles to become weak points for water and prevents them from wicking away moisture.
Check your shingles again after the winter is over. When there are broken shingles, you can replace them with new ones to prevent the roof from leaking. Do this shingles repair yourself to save on budget. Winter usually leaves a lot of shingles that break because of too long snow piles. Fix Cracked Shingles from @gregorygrouproofing
Look for Flashing Damage
Whether you have metal, wood or some combination of the two, roof flashing serves as a second line of defense against water infiltration. It connects different elements of your roof, including windows and skylights. After winter, sometimes, the caulking on your flashing may need to be re-caulked or replaced to make sure it stays sealed properly. This is to ensure that your flashing works well after the harsh winters.
Pay attention to the flashing damage section, replace it with new material to avoid porous which can be the initial cause of your roof leaking. Use flashing damage with Cooper’s choice of materials that will last long enough and not easily damaged, also when exposed to extra changing outdoor weather because it has a harder surface. Cooper Flashing Damage from @blackbootbuilders
This flashing roof design will be the main channel for draining water from the roof to the gutter. Therefore you can choose it with metal material so it doesn’t rust easily either. Try to keep flashing damage that connects between roofs free of dry leaves and debris. Check Flashing Damage Section from @precisiongutters
Examine Your Soffit and Fascia
Soffits and fascia are essential to a strong roof, but they’re easy to forget about during maintenance. Both of these parts are metal or wood panels that run under the roof and connect your wall to the roofline. You can’t ignore them if you want your roof to last for a long time. During your spring roof maintenance, inspect your soffits and fascia for soft spots or holes that indicate damage, as well as visible damages.
Check the soffit and fascia regularly to prevent roof leaks and the presence of insects such as termites which will damage your house so that it becomes more fragile and less sturdy. So that the appearance of the soffit and fascia looks more attractive, you can repaint it with a simple color, namely white so that it looks more integrated with the outdoor wall paint used. Check Soffit and Fascia from @xtremeexteriors
Chek for Water Damage
Also check for water damage or ice dam damage. Melting snow from winter or destruction caused by icy dams can cause water damage to your roof, ceiling and insulation. If you spot a roof leak or find any signs of damage, fix it immediately before the damage gets further. You can fix it yourself, but if you are not sure you can contact a roofing expert for the right solution.
When you find a leaky roof at home, do repairs immediately so that the leak doesn’t spread widely, causing more repairs. Before replacing the ceiling, it’s a good idea to first check what causes your roof to drip water. After that you can replace the ceiling with a new one so it doesn’t fall to the bottom which can cause chaos. Repair Leaking Roof from @cherylciecko
Schedule a Professional Inspection
If you notice any signs of winter damage to your roof, such as missing or broken shingles, damaged soffit or fascia, and mold growth, it’s best to call in a professional for a thorough inspection. This will let a qualified roofing expert determine whether the problem requires a simple patch, more extensive repair, or a complete replacement.
