Spring Roof Maintenance tips – 2020 Guide

The winter days might have quite an emotional impact and people because of the cold, snowy, rainy and dark times, but it also has an impact on our households. The constant warmth of the sun’s UV rays, the biting cold, the snow, and the winds can damage important parts of our homes such as the facade, the gutter, picket fences and many other things that you would have to repair.

Fixing all of these things we have mentioned above are just a couple of days of work which means you won’t have to invest too much time or money into it. However, fixing the roofing is another story. This part of your home is the one that would endure the highest amount of damage during the winter. The constant weight of the snow stacking on top of it, the blunt hits of hail or too much rain might cause it to start leaking or even worse, to give in.

Fortunately, right after the cold winter, you will be met with the warm days of spring. During this time you can dedicate your precious time to deal with any problems that might be related to your roof.

If you are not sure about what you should first start working on, here are some spring roof maintenance tips.

Roofing inspection

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We believe that every homeowner should consider doing a professional inspection of their roof at least once or twice a year. A proper inspection during the rainiest seasons of the year will ensure that you haven’t endured any serious damage that might be a risk to you and your family. If you have erratic winters in your country with a lot of snow, we recommend that you do your inspection during spring and if you have very hot summers then do one in autumn. If you face the extremes of both seasons then two inspections a year is definitely the way to go.

If you are informed after the inspection that you will have to replace the roofing, check out hawaii-roofing.com.

Check the gutters

You probably are well aware of the fact that during the cold winter days, most trees are dried out which means that even the slightest amount of wind can break their brittle branches. All those leaves and dried up branches can end up in your gutter which means the rain won’t drain properly. If you do not clean the gutters on time, you are facing the risk of the water building up and pouring over into your roof. This can cause the supporting beams to rot which reduces the entire stability of the roofing.

If you do not feel like hiring professional services, here are some tips to clean the gutter.

The first thing you will need is a high enough ladder to reach the gutters. If you have any other access to the roof from the inside of your home then use that instead of a ladder. Once you acquired the right ladder, place it on the flat and sturdy ground and then slowly angle it and support it on the house. Make sure that you angle it at least one or two feet away from the wall to ensure that it won’t slip.

The next step is to get yourself a pair of gardening gloves and then start removing any leaves and sticks out from the gutter. Once you have removed all that debris, try pouring some water or spraying with a water hose to ensure that the water will drain properly. If the water starts flowing freely, you are done.

Check the shingles

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A lot of times during these cold seasons, shingles can get torn or blown away by the strong winds, especially after snowy days. The constant pressure of the snow and the moisture can cause the shingles to lose its durability. While they are still wet, they can easily be torn by the winds. Not only are you losing shingles, but they even might be the reason why your gutters are getting clogged. If you noticed any pieces and parts of shingles in your gutter then you will definitely have to do some replacements on your roofing.

If you have composition shingles, you should know that they have the tendency to become covered in black algae in a short time. Many experts claim that black algae don’t do any significant damage to the shingles. In fact, trying to remove it is probably more harming than leaving it alone.

We should also note that after the wet and snowy days during the winter, there is a good chance that there has been a mass breakout on your roofing. This must be removed because it traps water and may start causing serious damage to beams holding your roof. The earlier you spot it, the easier it will be to deal with it.

We recommend that you avoid using products that contain zinc sulfate as it can be pretty toxic. Get something that uses potassium salts. Make sure you apply these products only to the places that are exposed to moss.

Prevent moss build-up and clogged gutters

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Instead of having to deal with moss and clogged gutter every year, there are actually some things you could do to prevent it from ever happening. Naturally, completely preventing moss or clogs is impossible. There will still be times when you will have to do inspections to ensure that everything is in a good state.

To reduce the number of leaves and branches that get stuck on your roof that end up causing clogs, you will need to trim all the bushes and trees near your home. Of course, you don’t have to cut them down completely, but a short trim on the side closer to the house will be good both for you and the trees.

Branches that can reach the shingles of your roof can actually damage them or even rip them off during strong winds. Make sure you cut those branches off.

Cutting down branches on tall trees can be difficult and dangerous, so if you do not feel confident in your skill, consider hiring a professional.