All Those Leaves, Pine Needles, Pollen, Dust, And Twigs Create A Major Problem For Your Roof
Keeping your roof clean is one of the most important things Lafayette area homeowners can do for their roofs. Many people ask us what we can do to keep their roofs healthy. One of the best things you can do is to regularly clean dirt, debris, leaves, twigs, and other materials off the roof. This can dramatically extend the life of your roof system.
Over Time Your Roof Accumulates Materials That Can Begin To Rot
Most Acadiana homeowners do not realize just how much material can accumulate on their roofs each month. Many people assume that rain naturally removes or “washes” their roof and keeps it clean and healthy. While a hard rainstorm can do some good to remove some of the material, most roofs act as a kind of debris collection system that should be cleared and cleaned on a regular basis. Dirt and debris build up on the granules that make up the surface of the shingles. Rain removes some of this material, but not all. With the dust and moisture of the outdoors, mold, algae, fungus/lichen, and mildew can grow on the roof. This unsightly growth can create dark stains or green coverage areas on the roof. Eventually, these materials can slowly eat away at the materials that are intended to keep your roof system strong.
Animals like squirrels, opossums, raccoons, and others love the roofs that are covered with debris. As they make a home of your roof (or even your attic) they leave behind waste and additional debris that can further damage your roof. It’s important to close any potential entryway to your attic and to keep your roof clean from debris in order to prevent these pests from causing harm that may require expensive repairs in the future. It’s far better to prevent these problems than to have to fix the damages later.
Trees with branches overhanging your roof can drop twigs and leaves that build up quickly. That material attracts moss and algae, and spores arrive either through the wind or by animals that travel from rooftop to rooftop. The growth of algae, moss, fungus, and mildew can cause significant damage over time. They eat away binding materials that make up your roof system. Moss dissolves the materials and often causes the corners and edges of your shingles to curl and distort – and if left unchecked, this can cause enough harm that you may require significant repairs or even replacement. The deterioration eats away at shingles and can even penetrate the wood that makes up your roof deck. Over time, this causes the roofing material to rot, sag, and leak. It can attract further pests and cause significant damage to your home.
