Lyons Roofing

Spring Cleaning: Roofing Edition

Get Your Roof Ready for Spring

Spring brings with it the promise of new beginnings and fresh starts. As the weather gets warmer, families are venturing outside and making plans to update their garden, clean their garage, or refresh their landscaping. If you are making similar to-do lists for your home, don’t forget to include your roof! Winters can be hard on roofs - colder temperatures and severe weather may have caused damage that you might not otherwise notice until it’s too late. Instead of leaving your roof to chance, we recommend that you go through our handy spring cleaning checklist and make sure that you are ready to take on the season!

Inspect Your Shingles

It should come as no surprise that the shingles on your roof are your home’s first line of defense against water damage. These small, overlapping pieces should be uniform in size, shape, and color.

Homeowners should look for:

  • Missing shingles: A missing shingle is a chink in your roof’s armor, and makes the entire roofing system vulnerable to water damage. These should be replaced as soon as you notice them!
  • Buckling shingles: When shingles buckle, this means that the framing they are installed upon has shifted. This is obviously an urgent problem and needs to be addressed by a professional as quickly as possible.
  • Curling shingles: These are usually caused by poor ventilation or improper installation. When shingles curl at the edges, they are once again letting water into the structure and compromising its integrity.
  • Stains and streaking: Discolorations like these mean that there is a leak or problem with ventilation somewhere in the system.

Check Your Drainage

Ensuring that water has a way to make its way off of your roof and away from your foundation is paramount to the wellbeing of your entire structure. Look for parts of the roof that may be holding water for longer than the rest. Puddles like these indicate issues with the slope that need to be addressed immediately. Otherwise, keep drainage paths clear and ensure that they are doing their job. Identifying and resolving problems now can prevent damage to the roof, siding, and shingles later!

Look for Mold & Mildew

Problems with moisture are often accompanied by problems with mold, mildew, and even algae. Left untreated, they can make their way into your home, compromising the structure and threatening your health. If you notice significant discoloration, that could be an indication that these problems have already taken hold and need to be treated immediately.

Healthy From the Inside Out

If possible, head into your attic or crawl space and take a look at the roof from that perspective. You might be able to see light shining through where it shouldn’t, or evidence of water damage or mold growth, all of which indicate leaks. Looking here may help you find problems while they are much smaller, meaning simpler repairs.

Keep Your Trees Trimmed

Trees lend shade and beauty all year long, but they also pose a significant threat to your roof if you aren’t careful. Falling branches will damage even the sturdiest structures. Fortunately, this is a problem that is easy to mitigate. A professional landscaper or arborist can keep your trees healthy, beautiful, and strong year after year, all while protecting your roof.

These are all things that homeowners can look for on their own, but having an expert inspect the roof is always a good idea. If you want to schedule an appointment with our team at Lyons Roofing, give us a call at (520) 447-2522 today!

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