For some people, the words “roof maintenance” not only make sense but are a part of their regular yard work.

For others, these words make little sense at first. We usually only tend to consider our roofs when something puts them at immediate risk, such as heavy rain, ice storms, or large tree branches. However, ignoring roof maintenance can cause major problems down the line.

We’ll explain what roof maintenance is, what to look for, and what to do to maintain your roof. If any of these tasks sound too risky for you or you notice a problem with your roof while performing them, contact a commercial roofer to take care of them for you.

Perform Exterior Checks

There are a variety of exterior roof checks you need to regularly conduct to protect it from damage. One of the simplest checks includes walking around and ensuring that no tree branch touches the roof or gutters. If they do or appear as though they soon will, should the wind pick them up, then you need to trim the offending branches.

You also need to watch for unwanted instructions such as moss or algae growth and organic debris. Moss and algae can grow on your roof for a variety of reasons and can cause harm if left unchecked. Moss holds moisture, which can damage your shingles over time, and large clumps can raise the shingles and allow for water to enter.

Algae may not harm the function of shingles, but it can be unsightly. If you dislike the appearance of the dark streaks caused by algae growth, then you can create a cleaning solution of bleach and water to remove them.

Organic debris includes everything from leaves to tree seeds, and these need to be removed when located. They can contain moisture, which damages shingles over time and can encourage moss and algae growth. This debris can also be pushed into the gutter during rainstorms, easily clogging them.

Removing moss and debris from your roof as soon as you spot them will minimize the damage they can do and is a necessary step in the roof maintenance checklist.

Climb into the Attic and Watch for Ceiling Stains

This part of the checklist isn’t very fun and involves many tight squeezes, but it must be done to determine your home’s condition. You’ll need to watch your ceiling for water stains and climb into the attic to inspect things further. A ceiling water stain means that water’s actively leaking from the roof and onto the ceiling through the insulation.

Other signs of a leak include musty smells, which can indicate mold growth, bulges on interior walls, and spots on exterior ones. A dripping sound coming from the ceiling is also an indicator of a leak.

You’ll need to climb up into the attic to look for where the leak may be and potentially even perform a temporary repair to minimize damage until a commercial roofer is available. A temporary patch could be made using a shingle or piece of plywood and tar.

Make a Seasonal Chore Checklist

While the above tasks need to be done year-round, the ones we’re about to discuss are more season-dependent. For example, when the weather begins to warm up in the spring, you should examine your shingles and clean your gutters.

Checking for rodents in the attic can be done in any season, but keeping an eye out for them in winter and summer is especially prudent. When fall hits, you’ll need to keep your gutter clear of all the falling leaves and ensure the insulation is in good condition before the colder weather hits. You could also do this in the summer, but be sure to perform an additional fall check just in case.

Winter is when a lot of hard work must be done, as ice and snow need to be removed from the roof when it is safe to do so. Accumulating snow becomes heavy if left alone and could even freeze, putting weight and moisture against the roof.

Make sure to be extra vigilant for leaks during the winter, as ice storms could cause roof damage. Doing all of these things will help protect your roof from damage and save you money on those potentially high repair costs.

Keeping Your Roof in Great Shape

While all of these things can and should be done with residential roofs, it is vital to also maintain the roof of your commercial space. These roofs often tend to be overlooked and ignored until there is a problem, and many problems could be prevented by performing some of these actions.

Should you feel uncomfortable either doing these tasks yourself or having your janitorial team do them, you can contact a commercial roofer and set up appointments for them to take care of these issues for you. It is better to prevent an issue from occurring at all than to wait until a problem occurs to address the root cause.