Everyone loves a home set between big, mature trees. Whether you are in a neighborhood or the country, a nice tree line really boosts the aesthetics of a property, and the advantages that the shade offers is great too! As beautiful as those fall colors look on trees around your home, be aware of the damage that overhanging limbs can cause to your roof. Here are a few reasons to make tree maintenance an important part of your typical upkeep process.
1. Unwelcomed Critters
There’s nothing wrong with small animals making their homes in and around trees, it’s their habitat! However, your home is your habitat, and branches by your roof make a perfect path for furry friends to find their way into your house. Your attic is practically a four star hotel to critters who would otherwise be outside, and getting rid of them can be a frustrating (and sometimes smelly) process! So, unless you don’t mind squirrels, rats, opossums, and more making themselves at home, you might want to keep the tree limbs cut away from your roof!
2. Storms
Aggressive weather can already do a lot of hurt to your roof on its own, but adding tree limbs to the mix just ups the ante for potential damage. Even mild to heavy winds can cause tree limbs to break off, left to fall onto your roof. If the branch is heavy enough, it can do more than just break some shingles or the deck of your roof. Avoid dealing with significant structural problems caused by overhanging tree limbs. In some cases, it doesn’t even take a storm to initiate the damage. The older the tree is, the less it takes for a limb to break off and cause harm to your home.
3. Damaged Shingles
If you have tree branches that make contact with your roof, it is likely that they are consistently damaging your shingles. The scraping from the limbs as they sway from the wind will knock of the granules, which work as your shingle’s first line of defense. After the granules take in damage, the deterioration process speeds up for your roof, which can leave your home vulnerable to leaks and other issues. If you notice even smaller limbs making contact with your roof, you might want to consider having them trimmed back a bit.
4. Gutters
If you have a lot of over hanging trees, you will need to pay attention to your gutters and clean them out more frequently than normal. Especially in the fall months, leaves, twigs, and other debris are likely to clog up your gutters which can cause a lot of problems for your home and roof. A clogged gutter system can cause water damage, and as leaves fall onto your roof and into your gutters, the weight can cause your gutters to separate from the structure, causing damage to your shingles in the process.
If you have limbs that hang over your roof or you notice signs of root rot on any of the trees by your home, make an appointment with a professional tree trimmer or arborist to discuss the best course of action for you and your home!
