September brings with it pumpkin spice lattes, crisp apple strudels, sweater weather, and changing colors. It’s beautiful to see the leaves turn from their varying shades of green to vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds. However, lovely as fall leaves are, they pose a unique threat to your roof. It’s essential to be aware of how fall leaves can impact your roof in order to keep your home properly protected and your home insulated through the upcoming winter months.
Here is what you need to know about the risks fall leaves create for roofs and what you can do in order to avoid potential roofing problems.
The Dangers Fall Leaves Pose
Chances are that as a home or business owner, you already know some of the many challenges fallen leaves create for a property. Delightful as it may be to hear that satisfying crunch of a particularly crispy leaf under your boot, it’s less fun when you slip and fall and hurt yourself because of a pile of slick leaves on the sidewalk. It’s also expensive to deal with how fallen leaves can corrode your car’s paint if left there for too long.
It’s no wonder, then, that fall leaves can cause damage to your roof if they’re not dealt with in a timely manner. As with anything, fall leaves can start out as a mere nuisance, but if allowed to deteriorate on your roof, the resulting damage can be quite extensive.
Some of the dangers fall leaves pose for your roof include:
- An imbalance on your roof’s surface. In one of our previous blogs, What You Need To Know About Snow Buildup On Your Roof, we talked about how the weight of snow buildup can damage your roof. The same is true of fallen leaves. This is because when wet, leaves can gain weight. When allowed to buildup, they can get very heavy. This puts undue pressure on your roof, leading to damage over time.
- Water damage. As fallen leaves can get quite wet and pile up, is it any wonder that they can cause water damage? All that pressure can end up creating holes in your shingles, leading to leaks and mold growth. Water damage can also result from leaves filling up your gutters, preventing water from draining and ergo causing corrosion and rot and more.
- Trapped branches. When leaves stick to your shingles, not only can they cause damage themselves, but they can also trap fallen branches with them. This puts even more strain on your shingles, damaging the system.
- A home for pests. When you have a nice big pile of leaves on top of your home, that’s prime real estate for all sorts of different pests. You bought your home for you and your family, not for all these other creatures. To keep them away and prevent them from damaging the structure of your home, you’ll want to ensure you keep your roof clear.
These aren’t even all of the damages that can result from letting leaves pile up on top of your home. As such, you can see just how important it is to deal with this autumnal threat in a timely manner. That neighbor who is constantly busting out the leaf blower and the rake isn’t being overly cautious – they’re being practical and keeping their property in good condition.
How To Prevent Roof Damage From Fallen Leaves
Now, you don’t need to follow precisely in your zealous neighbor’s footsteps in order to prevent roof damage from fallen leaves. However, it is important to be mindful of the threats leaves pose and to deal with them in a timely manner in order to keep your property protected.
Some of the ways you can protect your home from fallen leaves include:
- Clean the leaves away. You knew this was coming. You’ll want to regularly inspect your roof and take care of leaf buildup. You can clean the leaves away with a rake or leaf blower. If you do not feel comfortable or safe removing the leaves yourself, you can hire a professional to do it for you.
- Trim back your trees. You can still enjoy the vibrant fall colors and minimize the risk to your home’s structure by trimming the trees back away from the roof, so less leaves fall on it.
- Check for damage. This includes both inside and outside your home. You’ll want to look for any signs of water damage, mold growth, discoloration, sagging, and anything out of the ordinary. The sooner damages are addressed, the better.
Lifetime Roofing provides professional roofing services, including roof maintenance packages. We’re here to ensure that your roof stays in good condition all year round. Contact us today to learn more about our roofing services and let us help you keep your home secured.
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