After a long and brutal winter, budding trees and flowers and warmer breezes are welcome by most people as warmer days approach. Spring is a time to clean up and freshen up both the interior and exterior of your home. The outside of your home has taken a beating during the past few winter months in particular. You’ll want to make sure its in optimal shape as the warmer months approach, and Spring is the perfect time to start roof and gutter cleaning.
This will not only make your home look nice, but it’s part of necessary home care and maintenance that will help your home and its elements function well and last a long time without having to be replaced.
Your gutters and roof, specifically, should receive special attention from you this spring.
Roof and Gutter Cleaning
While they may not be the easiest or most convenient places on your home to clean, roof and gutter cleaning is essential.
Making sure they are clean and ready for spring and summer weather are one great way to provide protection in the investment that is your home.
Consider a few of the following tips when embarking upon any large or small roof and gutter cleaning project.
Cleaning Your Gutters
Roof and gutter cleaning has many benefits.
To begin, gutters are an essential part of your home because they drain excess water during times of rain or melting snow, keeping your home safe from water damage and directing excess water to the proper places.
Unfortunately, they’re also really good at catching debris.
Avoiding regular roof and gutter cleaning will result in potential water damage to your home, and at the very least, having to replace your gutters sooner rather than later.
Many areas receive a great deal of rain and storms during the spring, so this is a great time to prepare your home and gutters for wet weather.
- You can either wait until it rains to see if your gutters are clogged, or run a garden hose to run water through the gutters. Look to see where water is leaking through or where its overflowing so you know where to repair leaks and remove debris.
- Use gloved hands to remove debris like pine cones, twigs, and leaves.
- You may want to consider adding covers to your gutters, making clean up job much easier in the future and keeping unwanted items out.
- You can use a caulking gun on dry surfaces to repair any leaks.
- Sagging gutters won’t function properly, even if you clean them out. So, make sure the fasteners keeping them attached to the home are tightened, and if not, tighten or replace them.
Clean, well-functioning gutters will ensure your home is ready for any wet weather that will come your way, and you’ll be taking an important step to avoid water damage.
Roof Cleaning Tips
Winter can also be particularly hard on your rooftop, especially if you’ve had a lot of snow and ice.
Thorough roof and gutter cleaning and an inspection of your roof by a professional will ensure its holding up and looking nice for spring and summer.
This care will not only help it last longer, but will keep it in top shape.
As stated previously, gutter care is an essential part of roof maintenance and cleaning care, but there are other roof cleaning considerations as well:
Roof Cleaning:
- Clear any debris like leaves, pine cones, and pine needles off your roof. These can cause a build up of moisture which can lead to damage to shingles, mold, or structural damage. An easy and safe way to do this is with a leaf blower.
- Moss and mold can also damage your rooftop and shingles, and are caused by too much moisture on the roof. Removing debris as stated in the previous bullet point will help avoid this problem, but a power washer to your roof will help remove existing mold and mildew. If your roof is steep you may want to consult with a professional first.
- Removing branches that create too much shade and not enough sunlight, and attaching zinc or copper strands across the length of your roof will help to ensure that mold and mildew won’t find a comfortable place to grow on your roof.
- For shingles or structural problems, consult with a professional to inspect your roof thoroughly if you suspect you have any problems such as these that you need to address. If you do, you’ll want to fix the problem–replacing shingles, reinforcing weak spots, etc.–as soon as possible.
- Stray tree branches can also be a problem. Snow and ice can do strange things to tree branches near your home, and after a long winter you may need to consider trimming some back if the branches look loose or are at risk of falling, rubbing, or pulling shingles off the roof.
Conclusion
Your roof is what protects you from the outdoors and shields you from the elements; so it only makes sense that its care, cleaning, and maintenance should be a priority when you approach various cleaning projects this spring.
Taking care of it will not only improve the look of your house, but will also protect your investment.
As the warmer months approach, you’ll no doubt be spending more time enjoying the outdoors from your backyard, deck, or front porch.
You’ll want your home looking the part and roof and gutter cleaning and maintenance can help provide your home with a fresh look for this spring and summer.
Making sure your gutters are clear and able to move water away quickly will help avoid water damage flooding.
Likewise, keeping your roof clear of debris that could cause mold build up and making sure no tree branches pose a threat will help your roof stay intact and looking clean.
Your home is an investment, and your gutters and roof are a part of this investment.
So it’s definitely worth taking the time to make sure this investment is as clean and well taken care of as possible.
Consider the roof and gutter cleaning tips mentioned here when embarking upon a cleaning project, and always remember to consult with a professional if there are any serious structural concerns.
