Leaves are normally seen in places where there are trees and other sorts of plants. It’s not unusual to see them. If there is a tree standing close to or directly beside your house, leaves may have already become part of your everyday life. You encounter them daily, and you find no issue with that. However, leaves could be silently causing problems in your house without your full awareness. How? Check your roof out. Here are 5 reasons why you should remove leaves from your roof as soon as possible – ASAP!
Your roof probably contains a few leaves on it or heaps of them if there are big trees living beside your abode. Especially if there is a tree that shadows over your roof, fallen leaves definitely consider your roof as their second home. It seems cool and aesthetic for some people, but it could be very disadvantageous to buildings, thus, homeowners will be affected.
Do not make leaves wait for too long before they get cleaned away.
1 – Leaves can cause water to accumulate, eventually leading to damage,
When rain falls onto a roof filled with leaves, it will not go away immediately because the leaves are obstructing the way. They can drive water to accumulate. When that happens, water can weaken the materials of the roof if they stay there for lengthy periods of time. Eventually, the seemingly quiet leaves hindering water from passing through the openings they should go into will eventually lead to damage to the roof.
2 – Leaves can fall onto and clog gutters.
Sometimes, leaves are not only masterminds but also the actual doers of the crime. When they fall onto gutters, leaves definitely causes them to get clogged. If there are other elements like tree branches and trash that enter the gutters, that’s a more tremendous problem.
If gutters get congested, they will not be able to accommodate water that needs to be processed out of the house’s structure. This might cause the roof and the gutters to overflow and break little by little. Flooding can be another unfortunate result. All in all, these will negatively alter the integrity of your building.
3 – Leaves make your house look dirty and unruly.
For some, leaves create an ornamental addition to the house. Roofs filled with leaves especially dried leaves, feeling nostalgic. They seem like art to other people. However, do not be fooled by beauty from afar. Closely, these leaves do make your house look dirty and unruly. They cause the roof to become dusty and slimy at times, too, due to their saps. Stains will be hard to remove, and their chemical properties might diminish the quality of your roof’s surface.
Clean up and wash away those leaves because they are, in reality, only pretty if you are not the homeowner. The hassles of them are inconvenient in many ways. From the fact that they can be a pathway for a few damages to happen to the fact that they are actually debris on roofs, they are not so easy to handle.
4 – Leaves can make the roof dangerous during DIY roof work.
Whenever you are doing roof work by yourself, without any expert help, leaves make the task is dangerous for you. You are aiming to do roof repairs, but if leaves are on your way, you might get into a slipping or tripping accident and get injured. Be sure to clear them out first before performing roof repairs!
5 – Leaves attract pests.
Last but surely never least, leaves must be put away as soon as possible because they attract pests. They invite bugs, termites, mosquitoes, rats, and other animals and insects that wreck roofs and house materials in general.
These pests feed on them, so if they spot dried leaves on your roof, they will come to your roof. Uninvited and unwanted guests, these pests will find their way to nibbling onto your roof, your shingles, your gutters, and more. Worst, they will enter your house through openings they can fit in or create by themselves. Also, read about getting your home pest prevention.
LET THE LEAVES LEAVE
Leaves are harmless as they are, however, if they stay for a very long time on roofs, they will be forced to cause some damages you and every homeowner despise. Both the appearance and the performance of your roof will suffer. Gradually, its outcomes will trouble the house in general.
Do not take the existence of leaves on your roof lightly just because leaves are lightweight. Underestimating it will lead you to ignore it. Later on, you will be regretting that you were heedless.
Eliminate leaves from your dear roof as soon as you get the chance to do so. Hire professional roof cleaners if you cannot do it on your own. It’s also a great opportunity to have your roof generally cleaned and inspected for possible roof issues to be addressed.
Enjoy safe and cozy living in a house covered with a good roof!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nicole Ann Pore is a writer, an events host, and a voice-over artist. Quality and well-researched writing is her worthwhile avenue to enlighten and delight others about things that matter. She is a daytime writer for Young & Co Roofing Manchester, an excellent roofing and cladding company in Greater Manchester. Nicole graduated Cum Laude from De La Salle University Manila, Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts.