Fallen Leaves and your Roof

While your roof is designed to protect your home and everything and everyone inside of it from the elements outside, wear and tear does occur over time requiring repairs and, after a certain amount of years, a replacement. And while a well maintained asphalt roof can last 15-20 years, there are a handful of outside factors that can speed up the wear and tear process, severely reducing the lifespan of your roof. It is important to know what might cause damage to your roof so that you can be ready with the right preventative maintenance practices that will help keep your roof and home in pristine condition. Even something as seemingly insignificant, like fallen leaves, can wreak havoc on the roof of your home.

Leaks

When leaves fall in mass onto your roof and are left there, it can create a situation that leads to leaks in your roof. While your roof is designed to have water roll down it and into the gutters, leaves make this difficult. Leaves have a tendency to maintain water and as the leaves sit on your roof, it causes prolonged and stagnant contact between your shingles and the moisture. As water seeps through the shingles, the materials underneath become damaged as well. If leaks are not prevented or at least stopped early on, they lead to water damage and a lot of necessary repairs, so it is best to just avoid the issue entirely and work to reduce the amount of leaves left on your roof.

Weeds

Another issue with letting leaves hang out on your roof for long periods of time is that it can create entirely new ecological environments! As seeds find their way to your roof either from the wind or from being carried by small critters, they find a very ideal host in the damp leaves. As the leaves start to decompose, they act as the perfect fertilizer for the seeds to start growing. The true issue here is with the roots of these new weeds. These roots can start to make their way through your shingles, gutters, and even siding! If this is allowed to continue, it can result in a lot of damage that is really easily avoidable.

Clogged Gutters

When you gutters start to get clogged, this is a sure fire sign that it is time to do a little fall cleaning. The purpose of your gutter system is to redirect the water that trickles down your roof to a location where it won’t cause damage to your roof or your foundation. However, if your gutters become clogged, build up will start to occur and the water can sit for longer amounts of time, stagnant. This prolonged presence of water can cause rotting to any wood that might be near, like the fascia strip that the gutters are attached to. It is important to keep your gutters clear of leaves and other debris that might find its way to your roof. Doing this can seriously prolong the life of your roof, saving you a lot of money in repairs as well as give you peace of mind!

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