Types Of Roof Maintenance Needed During Different Seasons Of The Year
No matter what type of roof you have or how old it is, regular maintenance is important. Maintenance prevents leaks and helps you get as much life from your roof as possible. You should check your roof regularly and hire a roofer to make repairs when they're necessary. Here are some types of roof maintenance that may be needed in different seasons of the year.
Spring
Spring is the time to get your roof ready for spring rains and summer storms. Check that no shingles were lost over the winter, and check for leaks. You can often detect leaks better by looking in your attic than you can by looking on the top of your roof. However, it's good to check the shingles as best as you can.
Spring is when everything comes to life, so this is a good time to trim back tree branches near your house so they won't grow too close to your roof when they get bushy and heavy with leaves.
Summer
Summer is when you can monitor for signs of heat damage caused by poor attic ventilation. If it gets too hot in your attic, asphalt shingles may start to curl and damage could be done to your roof. Summer tends to be a stormy season, so you may need to check your roof more frequently for storm damage and schedule repairs for wind-damaged shingles promptly.
Summer is also a good time to wash your roof if it's needed. You may never need to wash your roof, but if algae begins to grow, it will make ugly black streaks you want to get rid of. Washing an asphalt roof can be dangerous, so consider hiring a professional to use soft washing equipment to remove the algae and restore the appearance of the shingles.
Autumn
Autumn is when you get your roof ready for winter. This involves clearing off leaves that have accumulated on your roof and in your gutters. Check your roof one last time for leaks and loose shingles so your roof goes into winter in good shape.
Make sure your gutters are clean and drain properly so water and ice don't get pushed against the roof. Repair rotted fascia boards and seal up holes so mice and rats won't try to get inside and settle in for the winter.
Winter
Winter is when you have concerns about snow and ice damage. Once snow starts falling, you may want to have heavy piles of snow removed from your roof if you're concerned about the extra weight. You'll also want to watch for ice dams since these cause damage to asphalt shingles. A roofer can remove ice dams and replace the damaged shingles so your roof makes it through the winter without severe damage to the deck.
However, if your attic has good ventilation, you may not have problems with ice dams, and you may not need to do much maintenance in the winter other than watch for signs of roof damage from winter storms.
For more information about roof maintenance, contact a company like Durable Roofing Company.