Spring is a great time of year to start thinking about home maintenance. We’ve all battened down the hatches for winter, but now that the weather’s warming up and the snow and ice is (hopefully) behind us, now’s the time to prepare for the hottest months of the year. They can be more dangerous to our houses than the coldest months here in Georgia!
Your roof is your home’s biggest investment against spring weather’s threats. Here’s your springtime roofing checklist for Georgia to help ensure you’ll make it through the summer and beyond.
ð Clean & Examine Gutters
Clogged gutters don’t do you any good…in fact, they can cause you harm. If water can’t make it through your gutters effectively, you’ll end up with standing pools on your roof. They’re a surefire precursor to leaks. This spring make sure your gutters are clean and open to accommodate those frequent heavy thunderstorms we’ll start getting come June. Also check to make sure none of your gutters were dented or knocked loose by ice or falling debris over the last few months, which can impact their performance, too.
ð Hit the Attic
Your attic is like the window to your roof’s soul. It’s a great indicator of the health of your overall roofing system and can help you identify little problems before they become big issues. Check your attic for anything amiss – sagging, moisture, light coming through the roof cracks – and bring in a professional roofer if you suspect something’s off.
ð Check for Critters
It’s not uncommon here in Georgia for small animals like squirrels and birds to make their homes in gutters, roof nooks, or underneath the eaves of homes. Do a visual inspection of the perimeter of your home to look for signs of nesting, and call an exterminator if you spot anything out of the ordinary. With animals, there’s usually smoke where there’s fire and you wouldn’t believe the damage just one opossum can do to a roof!
ð Trim Those Branches
If your home is surrounded by large trees like pines or oaks like many people’s in Georgia, spring is the time of year to trim any problematic branches. Summer’s heavy storms are prime-time for big branches falling onto homes; dead trees should also be removed so they don’t fall over once the ground becomes saturated.
ð Spot Winter Damage
Whether we had a particularly bad winter or not, it’s always a good idea to look for any visible damage to your roof from the ground. Obvious signs of problems include missing or cracked shingles, dented or lifted flashing, or cracks around the joints in your roof. The stark temperature differentials and constant melting-and-freezing of water on your roof over the past few months likely had it working overtime.
ð Get an Inspection
The easiest way to kill 2 (or 3, or 12…) birds with one stone is to have your roof inspected by a professional Georgia roofer this spring. There’s only so much you can tell from the ground. A roofer will walk your roof to look for any signs of trouble, like leaks or damaged underlayment. From there, you’ll have a plan for what needs to be fixed before summer and what can probably wait until next year.
Accent Roofing is your professional roofer in Georgia
Contact us to schedule your FREE spring roofing inspection today:
Call us at 1-770-769-1808
