When you’re a homeowner, each season brings with it its own challenges—and its own opportunities. To help you prepare for the upcoming change from summer to fall and help you plan into 2018, we put together a list of our top roof maintenance tips for every season. Knowing how to maintain your roof will go a long way to ensuring it reaches its maximum lifespan. Read on for our roof care guide for all seasons!
Autumn Roof Care
Fall roof care is particularly important for a couple of reasons. First, your roof and gutters are rapidly being inundated with falling leaves, which can easily clog your roof’s drainage system. It’s critical that you keep your gutters and roof clean as you head into the cold winter months in order to prevent ice from accumulating on your roof. Second, winter is the worst time of the year to be dealing with roof issues, so you’ll certainly want to ensure your roof is ready to do battle with Old Man Winter when he arrives. Here are your roof maintenance tips for autumn:
- Inspect your roof for signs of damage or decay. From a safe spot, closely examine your roof with a pair of binoculars, looking for areas of concern. If you spot any, give us a call so we can come out and take a closer look.
- Insulate your attic and check for leaks on the underside of your roof. If any water is getting into your attic, give us a call right away so we can help you avoid further damage.
- Trim back branches that are hanging over your roof. Doing so prevents high winds and snow from knocking down limbs and causing roof damage come winter.
- Clean your gutters, to ensure melting ice and snow flows easily through gutters and away from your foundation once the cold weather arrives.
Learn more about how to maintain your roof this fall by referring back to this post dedicated to autumn roof care.
Winter Roof Care
Winter is definitely not the time of year you want to be dealing with roof issues, so ensure your roof does its job all season long with these winter roof maintenance tips:
- Prepare properly! Before freezing temps arrive, ensure your attic is well-insulated, as the two biggest winter roof problems—icicles and ice dams–are the result of a too-warm roof! Icicles and ice dams form at the edges of your roof and in your gutters, respectively, because ice and snow is melting too quickly from your roof (because your home’s heat is rapidly escaping). Once the relatively warm water reaches your gutters and roofline, it refreezes since it’s no longer coming in contact with your home’s too-warm roof. There, it can form large icicles and ice dams.
- Deal with Icicles: If your home is already sporting large icicles (small ones are okay), this a key indicator that your roof is getting too warm. These icicles can present a huge danger to your family, pets, and visitors, and they can also damage your roof and gutters as they fall, so you’ll want to take immediate steps to insulate your roof better. Don’t, however, try to remove the icicles yourself, as you could pull off your gutters or injure yourself in the process. Instead, hire a pro to remove dangerous ice and snow buildup.
- Address Ice Dams: Ice dams form at the roofline and in gutters, preventing water from diverting safely to the ground, away from your foundation. They can also prevent ice and snow from properly melting, which can lead to leaks and other serious water damage to your roof. If you suspect an ice dam is forming on your roof, call in a pro to assess and remove the buildup.
No matter what, NEVER try to get up on an icy or snowy roof, as doing so could result in serious injury or death. If you need help addressing roof problems this winter, give us a call!
Spring Roof Care
After sheltering you from winter storms, give your roof some TLC come springtime with these roof maintenance tips
- Inspect your roof for damage caused by wind, hail, snow, and ice, and give us a call right away if you notice areas that need attention. Look for cracks, missing shingles, discoloration, bent flashing, damaged gutters, and a buildup of debris or mold.
- Clean out your gutters to remove buildup and keep the spring rains from causing them to overflow. If your gutters can’t accommodate the rain, water will flow right over them and onto the ground around your foundation. This situation can quickly lead to wet or even flooding basements, so make sure you do a thorough job!
Summer Roof Care
These may be the lazy, hazy days of summer, but taking steps now to keep your roof in shape will help you better enjoy your home in the cold, wet months that are, sadly, just around the corner. Here’s how to maintain your roof in the summer:
- In addition to taking the same steps you did in spring, you’ll also want to take time each summer remove algae growth and mold buildup that may have accumulated in the wet spring weather.
- You may be surprised at how quickly the tree canopy has grown, so inspect the area above your roof to ensure that no large tree limbs hover over it.
- Have climbing roses or other vines snaking up your home’s walls? Keep them away from your roofline at all times!
Read our summer roof maintenance post for more details on how to maintain your roof during the hot, sunny months!
Knowing how to properly care for your roof can go a long way toward maximizing its life—and the financial investment that went into it. Avoid problems and keep your roof in tip-top shape by referring back to this roof care guide every season and calling the roofing experts at George J Keller & Sons whenever you have concerns. Our professionals can inspect your roof and diagnose and address any issues that may be affecting your roof’s performance. Call us today at 973-927-0963!