Warmer weather, longer days, colorful flowers, and fresh breezes: the weather has definitely turned the corner from winter to spring. After the harsh weather of winter and the wet thaws of early spring, it’s important to care for your roof to make sure it got through winter without any damage.
Spring roof maintenance can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. We recommend a few simple tasks to check on the health of your roof after winter:
- Clean your gutters
- Check your shingles
- Check the flashing
- Look out for pests
- Check for water damage
- Check your insulation
- Prune overhanging trees
- Remove moss and algae
- Schedule your annual inspection (if you’re due)
If you’re an old hand at DIY roof maintenance, you can probably tackle this list yourself. But if you’re still not sure where to start or why these steps are important, read on …
Clean Your Gutters
This is probably the single most important (and time consuming) spring roof care item. By late winter, the leaves that are going to fall off of the surrounding trees and find their way into your gutters have all fallen. Cleaning out your gutters in the spring gives you a chance to give your roof and gutters a fresh start for the year. This is also a good time to check to see if your gutters need any sort of repair themselves, and it’s a great time to notice if any roof debris (loose shingles or tiles, bits of flashing or caulk, etc.) have found their way into your gutters. This is a great “early warning” that something might not be right elsewhere on your roof.
Check Your Shingles
While you’re up on your ladder, cleaning and inspecting your gutters, take a look at your shingles. How do they look? Are they still laying smooth and flat? Are any missing, or curling on the edges? These are signs of roof damage that warrant a call to a professional roof repair service.
Check the Flashing
The flashing around the edges and joints in your roof are intended to prevent water from getting under your shingles, especially in windy or stormy conditions. Winter storms can loosen or damage these, so take a look to make sure that they all still look orderly and in place.
Look Out for Pests
Keep an eye out for any new furry “friends” that seem bothered by your roof inspection – it may be that they’ve found themselves a cozy place … in your roof! If you see or hear critters scurrying around up there, take a closer look or call in a professional to see if you have some new, unwanted tenants.
Check for Water Damage
If everything is ship-shape up on your roof, there shouldn’t be anywhere for water to get in, but it’s a good idea to look around for water damage, just in case. The best way to do this is to look around on the ceiling and walls of the interior of your home, to check for any wet spots, new stains, mold, or mildew. And don’t forget to check the attic!
Check Your Insulation
While you’re up in the attic, visually inspect your insulation. Make sure everything looks neat, even, and dry. Look for any place where light is coming in that it shouldn’t be, or anywhere the insulation seems to have been disturbed or redistributed.
Prune Overhanging Trees
Tree branches that brush up against your home or overhang the roof should be trimmed back, and early spring is a great time of year to do this (before trees grow even more, potentially causing more damage). Branches that rub on your walls or roof can wear away at the shingles, gutters, or siding, and overhanging branches drop leaves onto the roof, clogging gutters and keeping shingles wet for extended periods of time. And, in a worst-case scenario, broken branches or downed trees can severely damage your roof.
Remove Moss and Algae
Moss and algae form in damp places, and they hold on to moisture. Moss or algae on your roof should be a sign that a closer inspection is warranted (in case they’ve formed in an already damp spot) and they should be removed before they can cause more damage. An important note is to NOT remove the moss or algae through pressure washing, which can further damage shingles or roof tiles.
Schedule an Inspection
You might be surprised to hear it, but it’s a good idea to have your roof inspected at least once a year by a pro (and that’s if you haven’t spotted any problems). This is one of those “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” situations – the money and time you’ll save having your local roofing experts come out to inspect your roof will be returned to you several times over in damage and repairs you won’t have to deal with in the future.
Whether you’re due for an annual inspection, have spotted signs of a problem, or just don’t want the headache of dealing with all of this on your own, you can contact Harper Siding and Roofing for a free estimate on any roof work or repairs. We look forward to helping you care for your home’s roof.