Fall Means Falling Leaves: How To Protect Your Home And Roof

With the temperature beginning to drop outside, you are probably excited to watch the leaves change color, frost begin to form, and pumpkins show up on doorsteps. At the same time, this can pose a significant risk to your roof, so you need to make sure you understand how to protect your home accordingly. Learn more below about a few of the most important points to keep in mind if you want to make sure your roof is adequately protected. Questions about product or application for your situation? Don’t hesitate to contact us.

1. Get Rid of Debris

An important and essential first step is to make sure that you get rid of any standing debris on top of your roof. You may not have been up to your roof in a while and you may have a collection of leaves, pine needles, and branches that are just sitting on top of the roof. Besides being a neighborhood eyesore, earthly debris such as leaves and sticks can hold moisture, and that moisture can transition from those objects to your roof. This could increase your chances of dealing with wood rot, and it could even develop into mold if left untreated. Make sure you plan to inspect your home’s roof this fall and clean any unwanted debris sooner rather than later to protect your roof from harm during the colder and wetter months.

2. Remove Leaves from the Gutters

Equally important to the debris on your roof is the gunk inside your gutters. Over the course of the year, you may be surprised with how many things can make their way into your gutters. One of the most common culprits is of course leaves. Leaves can pile up quickly and mat together with dirt, grit, and twigs to form major blockages that will slow down or prevent water from draining during a storm. If left unchecked, this can cause water to back up from your gutters onto your roof which can lead to major issues such as standing water and leaks, creating significant damages.

A way to combat this is to take steps to reduce the chances of leaves landing in your gutter in the first place. For example, you might want to consider installing a filtration system that keeps leaves away from the gutter itself. RoofingDirect.com sells two excellent examples of these. The first is called GutterFoam and it is a lightweight and easy to install solution that blocks debris from building up in your gutters and allows for the free flow of water to go quickly and directly down your home’s natural drainage pathways. The second is an ingenious device that installs in just about any gutter system and is built to last with a reinforced galvanized core and built-in UV protection. It’s called GutterBrush. This solution keeps the leaves from even touching your gutter or the edges of your roof. Browse all Gutter Protection products today with great prices and free shipping!

3. Trim Overhanging Branches

If you want to prevent leaves, branches, and other debris from landing on your roof, a good idea is to address the source and trim the branches that are closest to your home. If you remove tree branches that are close to your home, you won’t have to worry about as many animals, branches, and leaves causing damage during the fall and winter seasons. At the same time, you need to use extreme caution when you trim high branches from trees, especially when going on or around your home’s roof. RoofingDirect.com offers some of the best safety equipment on the market. For this type of project, you might want to invest in a safety harness and safety line combo like this one from Malta Dynamics: Harness, Rope Line.

If you do not have a lot of experience doing this on your own, you should reach out to a trained professional who can help you. Safety always has to be at the top of your priority list.

Protect Your Roof This Fall

In the end, these are just a few of the most important points you need to remember if you are looking for a way to protect your roof this upcoming winter. The autumn leaves turning a symphony of colors can be as troublesome as they are beautiful if not kept in check. Please keep these tips in mind this year so that your home and roof can stay out of harm’s way. After all, this is a glorious time of year in many ways. The crisp air is invigorating and the anticipation for the joy of the coming holiday season builds with each passing day. Remember to take joy with friends and family in the small things while making sure to keep your roof and gutters clear so you can spend more time concentrating on the great things about this season.