When it comes to roofing, it’s often the things you don’t see that make the biggest impact. But how do you take care of your roof when you can’t always see the things that matter most?
The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to take to the rafters to maintain your roof – there’s a lot you can do with a ladder and a little bit of elbow grease. Check out our guide to proper roof maintenance and make sure your roof is in peak condition year-round.
GENERAL ROOF MAINTENANCE
???? KEEP YOUR GUTTERS CLEAN
Each season brings with it debris that can end up in your gutters. Making sure that your gutters are clean and free of blockages all year is important to maintaining the quality of your roof. If water can’t flow freely down your gutters and away from your home, it can cause a whole lot of trouble, from your basement to your ceiling.
Roof decking rot caused by gutter backup is an easy thing to prevent. Get up on a ladder every now and again or call a professional gutter cleaning service to clear out any obstructions.
???? TRIM BACK TREES AND LANDSCAPING
While tree limbs close to your home can make for a picturesque landscape, they can cause some ugly problems. Limbs and branches knocked loose during a storm can cause immediate damage to your roof and provide easy access for squirrels and other critters to invade your home.
As tree branches and other landscaping starts growing a little too close to your home or roof, trim it back a few feet to make sure it won’t cause any issues during a sudden bout of bad weather. You also want to make sure shrubs and other ground landscaping allows enough space for your gutters to properly drain water away from your home to prevent damage to your foundation.
SEASONAL ROOF MAINTENANCE TIPS
Most roof maintenance tips can be applied all year, but each season brings unique circumstances that need to be addressed in a timely manner.
FALL
???? PREPARE YOUR GUTTERS FOR FALL
While you need to pay attention to your gutters year-round, fall deserves a little bit of special attention. With the volume of falling leaves raining down on your roof, it’s very easy for your gutters to get clogged, causing water to back up into your home.
Clearing out your gutters a bit more frequently this time of year can help prevent much of the damage that fall leaves can cause. To make sure that they get cleaned effectively, wash what you can with a hose and hand-wash the rest with warm soapy water to make sure all debris is removed.
SPRING
???? REMOVE STEMS AND SEEDS FROM GUTTERS
Like fall, spring brings about a time of year when debris can easily build up in your gutters, particularly due to pollen, stems and seeds from trees. Clean out your gutters more often in the spring to eliminate blockages that can cause damage to your roof and home.
SUMMER
???? CHECK FOR CRACKED OR MISSING SHINGLES
Summer weather can really take its toll on your roof. Excessive temperatures can sometimes cause the shingles on your roof to shrink or crack, and extreme summer storms can tear them off your roof altogether.
While Accent Roofing roofs are built to last for years to come, severe summer weather, like thunderstorms and tropical storms, can be strong enough to damage even the strongest roofing systems. Taking a few minutes to inspect your roof from the ground can help you identify any areas where shingles may be missing or damaged. Additionally, calling in a professional to inspect your roof can help you get ahead of possible damage down the line.
ARE YOU BEHIND ON ROOF MAINTENANCE?
If your roof has seen better days, it may be time for a replacement. Accent Roofing in Georgia has helped thousands of home buyers and sellers make informed decisions.
Call us at 1-770-769-1808
