Every winter, roofs face potential damage. Roofing materials face debris, snow, ice, and damage caused by freezing temperatures. Homeowners have roofs that experience stress such as shingle loss, roof debris, and gutter clogging. Homeowners considering christmas holiday light installation Macungie homes, have roof holiday decoration stress. Seasonal roof decoration stress can be avoided by cleaning and inspecting. Cleaning and inspecting roofs also improves how the roof looks.
Post-winter roof work is simple. Roof work such as debris clearance, roof damage inspection, and shingle protection can extend the life of the roof.
Snow, rain, and ice are winter's most damaging elements. During the winter, fasteners can loosen and roofing materials become damaged. Freeze and thaw cycles pull materials apart and close over and over again. Roofs may experience damaged seals and loosened fasteners.
The first concern is the accumulating debris on the roof, like sticks, leaves, dirt, and storm waste. This debris stays on the roof, and either falls to the ground or gets trapped in the roof's tilt for longer than 4 weeks. Then, it collects moisture, which leads to the possibility of mold, algae, and other unwanted growth.
The second issue is also seasonal. Icy and cold conditions cause silt to deposit on the roof and, though this may not cause immediate degradation, it will cause roofs to lose their sheen and get dirty too soon.
For these reasons, it is important to care for your roof in the early spring.
The first step is to do a visual inspection of your roof, the first step in the washing process. This step is one you may not need to do if your house is really tall, as most people can do this step.
You will be looking for signs to determine if you need just a wash, or if you bottomed your roof and need a bunch of upper structure repairs.
Look for
- Shingles that are missing, or are warped
- Roof sags/incurs or has water pooling on it
- Low roof sealing or roof tiling that is broken
- Water pooling on the roof
- Debris in the upper most roof ventilation
A precise examination helps homeowners recognize items left over from seasonal decorations. For example, clips, wires, or fasteners from holiday lights can be left behind in the winter, but can create issues if they go unaddressed.
During the winter, most people do not consider the organic debris collection occurring on their roofs. This collection includes material such as organic matter, leaves, pine needles, and smaller branches. These materials can be especially tricky as spring and summer approach, but they can mask themselves in the debris, and slowly damage shingles.
Some of the most important protective measures include removing debris from the roof after winter.
Removal of debris can be done safely by following these steps:
1. Gently remove the loose debris using a soft roof rake or a leaf blower.
2. Do not use metal tools to remove shingles.
3. Remove debris from the roof valleys. Water tends to collect there.
4. Remove debris from the roof. This will improve the collection of water near the chimneys and skylights.
Gutters and downspouts are a vital element in protecting the roof and the exterior of the house. They function to determine the flow of water from the roof horizontally after winter.
Gutters can cause problems like:
- Water collecting at the roof edge.
- Ice damage on fascia boards.
- Overflows that stain siding.
Cleaning gutters after winter provides the Home with proper drainage and avoids the water backup on the shingles.
When cleaning gutters, check that the downspouts are unclogged so water flows away safely from the foundation.
A wintered roof may show streaks or develop algae. Many people are tempted to wash roofs at high pressure; however, this can damage shingles.
Using roof-safe algae and mildew removers, wash at low pressure.
When cleaning the roof, take care to follow the instructions.
- Stick to the recommended pressure
- Clean from the top downward
- Avoid pouring water from the top under the shingles
- Avoid shingles of certain roofing materials
Following these tips will not remove the algae from the roof but will replenish the shingles.
Many winter problems may be ignored, but not the remains of festive lights. When homeowners take down lights at freeze-prone times, fasteners and clips can remain. These remain on the roof and are common to find.
While they might not seem important at first, they can impact the performance of the shingles over an extended period of time.
Leftover clips can do the following:
- trap moisture that can get under the shingles
- damage all the surfaces that are protected
- capture storm-related debris
- create pressure areas that make shingles loose
Taking some time to check all the edges of the roof and the gutters, as well as between shingles, gives the roofing system a good chance to work without these elements left.
Leaving all clips to be cleaned later won’t let the roof wear at a usual rate and it will help to maintain the water flow from the roof.
You might be able to solve some of the debris that collects on the roof and the overhanging tree branches is part of that.
Little branches will snap and twigs will land on the roof and create debris.
The tree branches that are close to the roof will help prevent some of the debris, as well as prevent tree branches from rubbing on the shingles.
This means that the roof will dry out quicker if the leaves are not shady. When the roof dry period is shorter than the time it takes for moss to grow on the roof, the moss won’t grow.
When there are structures such as chimneys, skylights and vents that break the planes of a roof, there is a need for Flashing. These areas are particularly prone to moisture intrusion.
Winter weather can cause the seals to crack and the edges of the flashing to loosen. Because of this, homeowners need to look at these areas closely come spring.
Look for:
- Seams with gaps in flashing
- Areas with metal that has rust
- Missing nails or screws
- Vent seals that are cracked
These problems are urgent. They must be fixed quickly before spring rains happen.
Some homeowners like to put treatments on the roof after they have already washed it. Treating the roof simply helps to reduce the growth of algae and prevents shingles from being damaged from water.
Some of the different types of treatments are air:
- Strips of copper or zinc that are placed on the top of the roof
- Sprays that are meant to resist algae
- Coating that adds protection to all types of roof material
These types of methods are not always needed on every roof. They can be a great way to help in areas that get a lot of rain.
Homeowners can do many of the roof cleaning tasks, but inspections done by trained individuals are different, and they can help find major problems with a roof.
Expert people about roofing are able to look at areas that are difficult to reach like the steep areas and caps on the roof. They also can find evidence of problems that are not visible like the underlayment that is damaged out of sight and the decking that has been weakened.
A professional assessment is particularly beneficial if you have an older roof or if the winter storms were more severe.
Spring cleaning is just one part of the long-term protection of your roof. It is beneficial to develop a seasonal maintenance routine in order to keep the roof in good condition over the year.
A simple annual routine can consist of:
- cleaning and inspection in the spring
- a summer check for algae
- the fall removal of debris
- monitoring in the winter after major storms
Maintenance can even extend the life of your roofing system.
Your roof is one of the most important protective elements of your entire structure. After a period of prolonged snow, ice, and sub-zero temperatures, a good cleaning and inspection routine can add to the longevity of your roof.
A more thorough roofing system should include the removal of roof debris, the clearing of the gutters, the use of roof flashing and the inspection for holiday lighting clips.
Homeowners can expect a long functional life and ongoing protection of their home from the weather elements with the addition of good conditioning and maintenance.
