logo dark logo light logo
  • Home
  • Products
    • Wet & Forget Outdoor
      • Application
      • Before & Afters
      • Surfaces
      • Testimonials
      • FAQs
    • Wet & Forget Indoor
      • Application
      • Before & Afters
      • Surfaces
      • Testimonials
      • FAQs
    • Wet & Forget Shower
      • Application
      • Before & Afters
      • Surfaces
      • Testimonials
      • FAQs
    • Miss Muffet’s Revenge
      • Application
      • Testimonials
      • FAQs
  • Videos
    • Wet & Forget Outdoor Videos
    • Wet & Forget Indoor Videos
    • Wet & Forget Shower Videos
    • Miss Muffets Revenge Videos
    • New Home Spotlight
  • Contact
  • Sign Up
  • Store Locator
  • Visit Wet & Forget
Menu
mobile logo
  • Home
  • Products
    • Wet & Forget Outdoor
      • Application
      • Before & Afters
      • Surfaces
      • Testimonials
      • FAQs
    • Wet & Forget Indoor
      • Application
      • Before & Afters
      • Surfaces
      • Testimonials
      • FAQs
    • Wet & Forget Shower
      • Application
      • Before & Afters
      • Surfaces
      • Testimonials
      • FAQs
    • Miss Muffet’s Revenge
      • Application
      • Testimonials
      • FAQs
  • Videos
    • Wet & Forget Outdoor Videos
    • Wet & Forget Indoor Videos
    • Wet & Forget Shower Videos
    • Miss Muffets Revenge Videos
    • New Home Spotlight
  • Contact
  • Sign Up
  • Store Locator
  • Visit Wet & Forget
roof maintenance tips
November 4, 2014
Home Improvement

Essential Autumn Roof Maintenance to Stay Warm and Dry This Winter

You count on your roof to protect your home from the elements. It is counting on you to do the proper roof maintenance. The roof is one of those things, though, that we all tend to forget about until something goes wrong.

But beware: if you don’t take care of your roof until there’s a problem, you’re setting yourself up for a costly emergency. A leaky roof will raise your heating bill and cause ugly spots on the ceiling.

Water can also run inside your home’s walls, causing severe damage to the walls and the floor below. A water leak in the wrong spot can even lead to an electrical fire.

Making roof maintenance a routine part of your autumn schedule will help ensure your roof is ready to protect your home throughout the winter.

Read on to learn about 3 things you can do to keep your roof in tip-top shape.

Clean and Inspect Gutters

The Foundation Repair Association recommends cleaning and inspecting your gutters twice a year, in the spring and fall. Gutter maintenance is especially important in the fall.

For one, fallen leaves are behind most gutter clogs. Also, a poorly-drained roof will allow water to soak the ground next to your home, where freezing temperatures can cause it to expand and crack the foundation.

Wait until the trees on your property have lost their leaves, and clean the gutters to remove leaves and other debris.

Once you have cleaned your home’s gutters, check that the gutters have a slope that will cause all of the water to run to the downspouts. Even the best gutters can become warped by the wind and weather.

The Foundation Repair Association recommends that gutter height fall 1 inch for every 8 feet of gutter length.

One way to see if your gutters have an adequate slope is to pour water into the end farthest from the gutter and check the gutter for any pooling. This will also let you know if there are any obstructions in the downspout, which you can remove with a pipe snake.

Check the Roof for Problems

Once you’ve checked your roof’s drainage system for problems, you’re ready to inspect the roof itself. First, check for potentially harmful circumstances, such as overhanging branches or moss growth.

Removing these things before they have a chance to damage your roof will help you avoid the need for repairs. If you don’t feel comfortable inspecting your roof yourself, call a professional to help with your roof maintenance.

Next, check for damage to your roof. The most common places for a roof to leak are any areas where the roof’s membrane has been interrupted.

Check the caulking around these areas and replace any caulking that has become damaged or fallen away. These areas include:

  • Flashing
  • Around the chimney
  • Area around skylights
  • Around vent pipes or stink pipes
  • Around anything that is mounted to the roof, such as a satellite dish

Look for flashing that is warped, tented, corroded, or split. Check for lifted or damaged shingles. If you have asphalt shingles, look for shingles that have lost their protective granule coat.

Check the ground below the downspouts for excessive amounts of granules.

moss on roof

Remove Roof Stains for Easy Roof Maintenance with Wet & Forget Outdoor

You may have noticed growths or stains on the shingles during your roof maintenance checks.

Green, black or rust-colored streaks on your roof are most likely to be caused by algae growth. A thick, green, velvety growth on your roof is moss, and a scaly growth is a lichen.

Mold and mildew are usually fuzzy and can be black, white, rust-colored, or gray. These growths not only hurt your roof’s appearance–moss growth can lead to a leaky roof by causing pitting on shingles or lifting them and pushing them out of place.

It is crucial to remove these growths during your fall roof maintenance checks. Bleach is a bad choice for removing these stains because it can corrode your home’s downspouts.

To treat your roof with Wet & Forget Outdoor, attach the Wet & Forget Xtreme Reach™ Hose End to your garden hose and connect the jet setting tip to the sprayer. Then turn the dial to “ON,” and spray the stained area at a time that allows 4 to 5 hours of drying time before the chance of rain.

Follow the same procedure for moss, making sure to soak the moss thoroughly to allow the solution to penetrate the full thickness of the growth.

Because lichen has multiple layers, the procedure is a little different. First, spray the lichen the same way you would for treating algae, mold or mildew. Wait 15 minutes, and then spray the lichen a second time.

This second treatment allows Wet & Forget Outdoor to penetrate lichen’s multiple layers. Treat lichen on a day that is not too hot, sunny, or windy to prevent the solution from drying too rapidly.

To banish lichen, learn how you can easily remove lichen on outdoor surfaces.

Keeping your roof in good shape will help protect your investment in your home and help you and your family enjoy a warm, cozy winter.

Learn more about Wet & Forget products!

Photo by Randall1022

Related Posts

  • Protect your Home with this Autumn Roof Maintenance ChecklistProtect your Home with this Autumn Roof Maintenance Checklist
  • Stop Moss in its Tracks and Save Your Roof with Wet & Forget Outdoor!Stop Moss in its Tracks and Save Your Roof with Wet & Forget Outdoor!
  • 6 Reasons to Clean Your Roof with Wet & Forget Outdoor This Spring6 Reasons to Clean Your Roof with Wet & Forget Outdoor This Spring
  • 6 Keys of Roof Inspection to Avoid Costly Leaks6 Keys of Roof Inspection to Avoid Costly Leaks
  • Stop Annoying Water Leaks With These TipsStop Annoying Water Leaks With These Tips
  • Prevent Water Damage with this Can’t-Miss Spring Rain Gutter ChecklistPrevent Water Damage with this Can’t-Miss Spring Rain Gutter Checklist
Tags: autumn roof maintenance, check for roof damage, how to clean gutters, prevent roof damage, remove roof stains, roof damage, roof mold and mildew
Share:
Posts you'd might like
how to avoid roof damage
November 11, 2014
Protect your Home with this Autumn Roof Maintenance Checklist
Roof Maintenance
November 6, 2014
Stop Moss in its Tracks and Save Your Roof with Wet & Forget Outdoor!
wet forget mixing instructions
November 6, 2014
6 Reasons to Clean Your Roof with Wet & Forget Outdoor This Spring
Post a comment cancel reply

Search
Categories
  • Bathroom Cleaning
  • Gardening
  • Home Décor
  • Home Improvement
  • Indoor Cleaning
  • Miscellaneous
  • Outdoor Cleaning
  • Promotions
  • Spider Control
Recent Posts
  • Vegan Twists On Classic Thanksgiving Dishes
  • How to Check for Outdoor Damage After Winter Storms
  • How to Reduce Fall Allergies for Easy Breathing
  • Boost Fall Flavors with an Indoor Herb Garden
  • Preparing Your Garden and Yard for Fall
Tags
best shower cleaner best spider killer black algae clean shower fixtures deck cleaner deck cleaning DIY enter to win flower garden get rid of spiders grand prize great backyard giveaway green algae indoor garden indoor herb garden indoor mold kill spiders mildew cleaner mold mold & mildew mold and mildew mold and mildew cleaner mold and mildew remover mold and mildew stains moss moss on roof moss remover recipes remove deck stains remove mold and mildew remove shower grime roof cleaner roof moss save money shower cleaner shower spray soap scum spider killer spiders spray and rinse spray once spring cleaning vegetable garden water damage weekly shower spray