Spring Cleaning: Your Guide to a Better Roof
As the days get warmer and longer, we’re all looking forward to knocking out some home projects. Spring cleaning is a great way to put the winter blues behind you and prepare for a fun summer. There are many tasks to complete indoors, and some outside as well. There are many lists available online that can give you ideas for areas that aren’t cleaned often and are perfect candidates for your spring cleaning spree! However, often these lists forget to mention roofs. That’s why we’re here with our spring cleaning guide for your roof!
Inspect the Roof (Shingles, Flashing, Chimney, etc)
A simple visual inspection of the roof can tell you quite a bit. Look at the shingles to ensure they’re all attached and in good shape. If any are missing, discolored, curling, or buckling, they need to be replaced. This is also a good time to check on your chimney and make sure it’s in good shape. The flashing may have become exposed at some point during winter as well. Checking around the chimney, around any missing shingles, etc to ensure the flashing is still intact is prudent to your roof's health.
Clean and Inspect the Gutters
Probably the most obvious item on this list is to clean and inspect the gutters, but it’s also a very important task. If your gutters aren’t cleaned out frequently enough, they’ll trap water and can breed mold. They also will cause water to spill out over the edges of the gutter, rather than down the drain pipe as it should. In the long term this can affect your foundation.
Trim Back Trees/Bushes
Any trees or bushes that are taller than the house and near enough to deposit debris into your gutters should be trimmed. Aside from the potential to clog your gutters, a tree with branches hanging over the house can be dangerous in the event of a severe storm knocking the tree over.
Clean Mold/Dirt Off the Roof
We have a step-by-step guide located here, but this can be an important step to increasing the longevity of your roof. It’s crucial to clean any mold or algae that may have accumulated on your roof as soon as possible.
Check the Inside of the Roof
If you have access to the attic, Spring is a good time to check the inside of your roof as well. Any signs of a leak may not be evident on the outside, but should be noticeable in the attic. Inspecting on the inside is extremely beneficial for this reason. Any signs of leaks or damage on the inside should be repaired as soon as possible.
If you’re uncertain about what to prioritize, or just have a question in general, feel free to reach out to us. We can come out and do an inspection for you and get you a quote for any repairs that need done as well!
-New Look Roof Team
For any questions or comments, please feel free to email us at jwest@newlookroofs.com, we hope you have a great day and thanks for reading!
- Julian