You love your home and you want it to stay in good condition and looking great. Perhaps no other home system contributes more to these goals, along with the protection of your interior systems, than your shingle roof. Show your shingle roofing system some tender loving care to help it do its job to perfection. Here are some tips to help!
Trees and Your Shingle Roofing
Large stem trees beautify your property, invite an array of wildlife and provide shade for your home. With all the advantages that trees offer, however, the site of a felled tree or limb on your roof following a wind-driven storm is disheartening, to say the least. Even low-hanging limbs can strike and damage your roof without the help of a storm. So, use these tree care tips to minimize the chance of tree or limb damage to your shingle roofing:
- Trim trees regularly to remove sick, dead or weakened branches that are within six feet of your roof.
- Clear away leaves, twigs, pine needles and branches from your roof to prevent gutter clogs and water retention on the shingles.
- Avoid planting trees with weaker root systems right next to your home.
Maintain Gutters and Downspouts
The purpose of your gutters and downspouts is to direct rainwater away from your home’s foundation. A clogged or damaged gutter system dumps water in isolated areas by your home and promotes water ingress to the roof decking, joists and walls.
- Clean out your gutters at least once a year and more if your roof and gutters tend to collect vegetation and debris.
- Repair damaged gutters right away. Damage could include leaks, sagging gutters, pulling away from the fascia, rust and dents.
- Downspouts should extend six feet or more from your home.
Stay On Top of Inspections
Like other systems in your home, your roof needs professional care. Make a professional roof inspection an integral part of your home maintenance strategy. Additionally, your roof should be professionally inspected following wind-driven storms and hailstorms. A few unseen divots here, loose flashing there and a few missing or torn shingles, and soon you have a water infiltration problem and subsequent repairs to make.
Show your shingle roof some love and it will love you back. When you need shingle roofing services, contact Yellowhammer Roofing for the best roofing maintenance, repairs, inspections and replacement in the Huntsville, Birmingham and Montgomery areas.
