Spring Maintenance And Cleaning Tips To Keep Your Roof In Great Shape
After a long winter of freezing temperatures, ice, and snow, your roof can be in need of some maintenance and cleaning. Although it can be easy to forget about your roof and all it protects for you, it is essential you take some time to keep its structure and protection maintained. Here are some tips to help you do this task this spring.
Inspect for Pests
Winter is the perfect opportunity for pests, such as squirrels, birds, and other small animals to find their way into any small opening on and around your roof to get out of the weather and make a home. Walk around the perimeter of your home and look for any openings of your home's siding around the roof and under the eaves. You can also use a ladder to get a closer look to specific areas.
If you have a chance, safely access your roof top to look for any openings on top of your roof through roof vents where a pest may be gaining access to nest inside. Signs that a pest has accessed a vent or other rooftop opening can be a break or dirt residue build-up around the opening from frequent travel into the space inside. If you encounter any pests living inside your roof spaces, call an exterminator to have it properly and completely removed so the problem does not continue and a pest returns to the space.
Clean Debris
While you are upon your roof, remove any twigs, trash, leaves, and other debris from the surface of your roof. You can use your garden hose to spray debris from your roof, but be sure you only spray downward on the shingles as to not push up moisture underneath their layers to cause damage. Never use a pressure washer on your shingles, as this can cause damage to the shingles and their under-layer.
Leaving any debris and trash on your roof can cause your shingles to absorb moisture as the debris traps it onto your roof's surface. And as the debris on the roof sits, it will begin to decompose, which damages the shingles and can begin breaking down of their materials.
Repair Damage
Your roof may also show signs of damage from winter weather, such as missing shingles, or cracked or broken shingles. Peeling up of your shingles' edges can also begin to form over winter, which indicates your shingles are nearing the end of their life.
Talk to a roofing contractor about completing any repairs to missing and damaged shingles or replacement of your entire roof. Allowing an aging roof to go unrepaired will lead to water leaks in your attic and other areas of your home's interior.
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