The weather is turning cold, and with the cooling temperature and autumn leaves, our routines change too. Roof maintenance is crucial, especially before winter sets in, in order to ensure your roof can handle the harsh weather that is soon to come. Below are six roof maintenance tips you should tackle during the fall season:
Clean Your Gutters
While autumn leaves may be beautiful, they inevitably fall, and often that’s into your gutters. You need to make sure to clean out your gutters before the snow falls, getting all those leaves and any other debris that has built up. If left not cleaned, debris can cause build up over the winter as it snows and water freezes, leading to clogged gutters and often ice dams.
Clogged gutters also pose a risk of mold growth. Mold can have a negative impact on both your gutters and health, as it’s an irritant to eyes, skin, and mouths, causing asthma and other respiratory issues. Mold and debris can also make your gutters start to rot, leading to inevitable expensive repairs. Rather than risk repairs or mold, keep your gutters clean; cleaning them out before winter at a minimum.
Install Gutter Guards
While you should routinely clean out your gutters, the ensure process can be made easier by installing gutter guards. As the name implies, they protect your gutters from leaves and other build up that can get in, which keeps them cleaner longer.
Clean Away Roof Debris
It’s not just inside your gutters where leaves and debris can accumulate, but also on your roof. Cleaning roof debris away is an essential part of your fall maintenance list. Remember that snow and debris will create extra weight on your roof and provide areas for ice to form, which can damage your roof. Debris may include twigs, branches, leaves, shingle particulates, and more.
Trim Your Trees
Trimming the trees nearest to your roof will help with the amount of debris that ends up in your gutters and on your roof in the first place, making many of your fall to-dos easier. Trimming branches that are too close also prevents any damage that can be caused if a branch falls during a storm or under the weight of snow.
Untrimmed trees can also damage your roof in other ways over time. The branches can scrape your shingles, especially during windy days. They also provide an easy means for animals climb on your roof and set up shop in areas you don’t want them to be in.
Schedule A Roof Inspection
Scheduling a roof inspection by a professional roof company in Springfield IL will ensure that your roof is in good enough condition to make it through the winter. Roof inspections are a crucial part of roof maintenance and involve doing an in-depth look of your whole roof and roofing system for anything that might be pose a problem now or later. Roof inspections are typically recommended twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring, since it’s such a critical part of your home’s structure and your safety.
Roof Repairs
The last thing you want in cold weather is a leaky roof. If your roof needs any repairs, autumn is the time to do them before the cold and snow hits, exacerbating the issues. If left unrepaired, any small issues or damages to your roof can become bigger over time and more costly. It’s best to catch any problems early. During your roof inspection, the professional will point out any areas that need repair, and its critical to get them taken care of promptly.
Call a Roof Company in Springfield IL
Need someone to help you with your roof maintenance checklist? Give us a call! We provide free estimates on roof replacement, roof installation, and roof repairs for both residential and commercial applications.
