Your Spring Cleaning Checklist to Keep Your Roof in Proper Shape

It’s that time of year again! It’s that dreaded time when everyone collectively decides to tidy up the parts of their house that they have been neglecting all year. Spring cleaning! However, is your roof on your list of things to clean and inspect? If not, you may be unknowingly causing damage to your house.

Here is a quick and easy checklist to help you evaluate and clean your roof properly.

#1. Check for Roof Damage: If you live in an area where the winter climate is harsh, chances are that your roof took a beating. While most people do not know what to look for and may not understand that hidden deterioration (even small parts) can cause drastic and lasting damage to a house, a professional contractor will know exactly what to look for. It may be in your best interest to contact a professional before it is too late. Catching and repairing a problem in the early stages of decomposition can be the difference between a major construction overhaul and a quick fix.

#2. Check Your Rain gutters: Your poor rain gutters are the last line of defense in keeping you from getting soaked when you leave your house in the rain. Take care of them! Periodically having your gutters cleaned out will keep them flowing and draining as intended. Further, cluttered rain gutters can lead to clogged downspouts, which can be an expensive and arduous endeavor to fix.

#3. Prune Adjacent Trees: Our trees will often grow in ways that we do not prefer, this can lead to unfortunate situations. A tree that is starting to grow over the roof of your house can be a potential hazard. You do not want a strong storm or wind to cause a tree branch to collapse your roof or otherwise damage your house, do you? If you notice a potential branch hazard, contact someone who knows how to take care of it. They will know exactly how to handle the pruning. If you try to do it yourself, you may unwittingly cut a branch the wrong way and cause it to fall in an unforeseen way, damaging property or causing injury to yourself or others.

#4. The Soffit?: The soffit is the board under the fascia connecting the eave to the house. This little spot is a favorite of animals and insects (wasps in particular). Check around the underside of your eave and make sure you don’t have any nasty critters taking up residence on your property.

#5. Collect Evidence: Lastly, when the cleaning and inspecting of your roof is complete, take some pictures of it and the surrounding areas. Keeping a photographic record like this can help a professional quickly notice any discrepancies during future inspections. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

 A Few Closing Words

Nobody likes Spring cleaning, but it is a necessary evil. While you are taking the time to tidy up your place, do not neglect the one thing that protects you from the elements: the roof over your head. Period maintenance can do wonders for the life of your roof. Finally, roofs are often steep and dangerous, do not risk injury or further damage to your house by attempting to maintain it yourself. A professional contractor will not only know what to look for, they will also be able to repair any damage (and not fall through it or off it in the process).