Spring Maintenance Tips for Suburban Roofs
Across Canada and the northern United States, spring is a busy time for homeowners. There are plants to be pruned, gardens to be planted, repairs to be made, and a long list of maintenance tasks just waiting for a weekend of sunshine and nice weather to be completed.
One of the most important maintenance jobs suburban homeowners in storm-prone areas around the Great Lakes should take care of, however, is roof repair.
In cities like Chicago, Detroit, and Toronto, where winds blow fierce of the lakes and spring comes with lashing rainstorms and high winds, spring thaws can quickly lead to spring floods, and when the snow and ice that have been insulating roofs for months starts to melt, houses can sustain serious water damage from leaks.
If you want to keep your home warm and dry through the spring months, here are four tips for spring roof maintenance that will help you avoid costly repairs and extend the life of your roof.
Start With a Thorough Inspection
Before doing anything else, you need to make sure you know what state your roof is in. As soon as it is safe to do so, set up a ladder and walk around the roof to look for damaged and missing shingles, clogged vents, and any debris that may have built up. You should also check the flashing around dormers, chimneys, and vents to make sure there are no holes or tears that could disrupt water flow.
Clean the Roof
Once you’ve ascertained the extent of the damage, bring up a broom and give your roof a complete cleaning. Get rid of any branches that may have fallen onto your roof, and scrape off any moss or fungus that may be accumulating on your shingles (if moss growth is extensive, you may need to replace the roof entirely — click here for more info about how you can tell whether it is time to get a new professionally installed roof).
Clean All Gutters and Downspouts
Maintaining your roof isn’t just about making sure the roof itself is in good shape. You also need to make sure that once it has been channelled off the roof itself, the water has somewhere to go. Cleaning out your gutters and downspouts and making sure they aren’t clogged or leaking is essential if you want to avoid water pooling under the eaves of your house.
Repair Damage
If it has been a particularly harsh winter, cleaning may not be enough. If your roof has suffered extensive storm damage, you may need to hire a Toronto roofing company that specializes in suburban and residential roofs in order to make sure it provides you adequate protection for the seasons to come.
Spring can be an overwhelming time for homeowners who want to prepare for the warm weather. This is why it is important to set priorities, and to make sure key roofing maintenance tasks, such as inspecting, cleaning, and repairing your roof, gutters, and downspouts, get the attention they require, and are completed in time to fend off the worst effects of spring rain and flooding.
