If you don’t look after the exterior of your home it’s going to end in disaster. You won’t be protected in winter when the weather gets rough and things will go wrong. Do you have lots of extra money to throw away?
Save yourself money and continuous headaches by making sure nothing goes wrong in the first place. Let’s discuss a few things you can do throughout the year to make sure your home doesn’t start falling apart when it rains.
Keep Your Gutters Clean
Custom Contracting, a leading asphalt roof company in Burlington, Ontario says you should keep your gutters clean. When they visit homes to repair roofs they have to clean gutters for lots of customers who don’t do it themselves.
If you end up with lots of leaves and asphalt granules in your gutters it’s hard for water to drain away when it rains. Once winter comes and it’s cold enough to freeze water everything can come crashing down in an instant.
Check Gutters For Leaks
You will need to get them patched or replaced before the leak gets worse. When water is constantly running down your walls it’s going to leave a big stain. Get everything sorted before a permanent stain appears.
The exterior of your home will look wet once it’s rained, but it should look dry when it’s warm outside. If the walls on your home look wet in a particular area it could be because the gutters are leaking.
Inspect Roof Shingles
In Hamilton asphalt shingles roofs can be ripped apart by strong enough winds. Custom Contracting says a lot of worried customers call them to replace lost shingles once the wind dies down after a big storm.
Lost and broken shingles need to be replaced straight away because water will be able to get inside your home the next time it rains. Go outside and inspect your roof as soon as you feel safe leaving your house.
Trimming Tree Branches
Anyone with a large tree in their garden must trim the branches regularly. I know it’s easy to ignore because you don’t think anything will go wrong. If branches snap in a storm it’s probably going to damage your roof.
- Proper pruning techniques should be used so that ugly stubs aren’t left in the tree.
- Don’t over-prune! Current general recommendations are to remove no more than 15% of the tree’s leaves in one year.
- Cut only dead wood or branches that are close to the roof. A clearance of 10 feet is sufficient.
In addition, If branches are too close to your roof it’s going to invite animals to sneak into your attic. Make sure there is a 10-foot clearing and you should be okay. A good professional will know exactly what to remove.
Remove Leaves And Moss
Try to remove leaves and moss from your roof if you live in a bungalow. You will need a roof rake and someone to hold your ladders while you climb up. If you don’t touch the debris you might end up with weeds growing on the roof.
It won’t take long before the weeds rip it apart. It’s hard to remove them all without causing more damage once they’ve had time to weave in and out of your shingles. Use a hose to spray your roof if it’s going to be easier.
It’s Worth It In The End
None of these little tasks will take very long to complete but will save you in the future. Don’t skip any of them or you’ll regret it.
