As a homeowner, you know that maintenance is inevitable. Even the highest-quality home will need to have ongoing maintenance performed to remain in proper working order. One task that you should not overlook is roof and gutter cleaning. Your roof is the first line of defense for your home against all kinds of weather conditions, so keeping it in good condition is essential. Let’s take a look at some of the key points to understand related to roof and gutter cleaning.
Safety is Always #1
No matter what, the focus of your efforts when cleaning your roof and gutters should be safety. There is no need to put yourself at risk when trying to perform this maintenance task. If you don’t have the right equipment – such as a sturdy ladder – or if you are at all uncomfortable with heights, simply hire someone to do the work for you. Paying to have your roof and gutters cleaned is not particularly expensive, and it will be worth it if it means avoiding doing work that you aren’t comfortable with. Only proceed with doing your own work when you are confident in your abilities and know you have the right equipment for the task at hand.
Remove Debris Carefully
Assuming you feel confident in doing this work yourself, get started by taking the debris off of your roof and out of the gutters and downspouts. Things like leaves and small branches may have landed on the roof from nearby trees, so gather them up and dispose of them properly. Allowing debris to remain on your roof can cause problems in the long run, as it will gather in the gutters and prevent water from running away properly. Unless you have numerous large trees around your home, cleaning up the debris should be a relatively quick and straightforward task.
Address Moss Problems
In some areas, moss is a significant problem on roofs. When a roof has plenty of shade, and cool and damp conditions are present, moss can thrive. It might not look too harmful at first, but moss can do damage to your roof over time if allowed to remain. However, while you might be tempted to scrape it off, that’s not the right approach. Instead, use a moss killing product which can be applied directly to the moss so it will die off on its own. If you were to scrape the area affected with moss, not only might you damage the roof, but the moss would be likely to just grow right back.
An Overall Review
While on the roof, take a careful look at the condition of the surface to determine in any repairs are necessary. Hopefully, you’ll find that your roof is in good condition and doesn’t require any further work, but it’s always smart to check. If you do find one or two spots that need to be addressed with a repair, bring in a professional so you can make sure it is done right the first time.
