Winnipeg Springtime Roof cleaning tips and Roof Inspection

Winters in Winnipeg are cold, messy and seemingly never-ending and this year has been particularly harsh. However, spring brings with it a new group of home responsibilities, including scheduling a spring roof inspection with a professional roofing contractor.

As the snow begins to melt in many parts of Winnipeg, now is the time to clean up for spring. Winter weather can be a shingle’s enemy (especially in areas that had to deal with so many storms), so it’s important for Winnipeg roofing contractors to reach out to homeowners to help them with their roof’s spring-cleaning and inspection. Not only will this make a home look better, it can also extend the life of the roof.

Spring inspections are important because your roof can take quite a beating every winter. Snow and ice that sits on top of your home can block precipitation from draining off of your roof. Damage from pooling water and ice can include leakage into your home, cracked and bruised shingles and damaged storm collars. It’s important that every homeowner includes a roofing inspection (handled by a professional roofer) in their Spring cleaning projects. Addressing small problems that have now will surely extend the life of your roof and save you huge replacement cost.

Your Winnipeg roofing contractor will assess the condition of your roof for a variety of potential problems that might have occurred over the winter. The roofing professional inspecting your home will walk around the outside of your home to look for visible damage before he ascends the roof. He will then take a closer look at the shingles and structures on your roof, and may ask to inspect the interior of your home as the part of the roof inspection process. You may have water stains, or paint and wallpaper bubbling on the interior walls and ceiling of your home; these can all indicate a roof leak. Depending on the size of your home and the condition of your roof, a spring inspection can take as little as 45 minutes or may extend to over an hour.

Here are some tips to share with your customers on what to look for during spring cleaning.

Tree limbs. Make sure tree limbs don’t touch a roof. If they do, they can easily scrape over the shingles and loosen the protective granules. This will severely reduce the life of a roof. Trim trees close to the house to avoid any limbs touching the roof surface.

Leaves and pine needles. A little leaf or a few pine needles are fine, but if they collect and are deep enough to hold moisture, they need to be taken off the roof. Anything that traps moisture will cause mildew to form, block gutters, or cause extra weight on the roof. A rake or air blower can be used to clear the roof, but take care not to damage the shingles.

Moss. Cutting back trees and removing leaves will reduce moss growth, as it will allow sunlight to dry up the moisture that moss thrives on. While there are chemicals available on the market to get rid of moss, the runoff can cause damage to plants. Another solution is to nail zinc or copper strips to the ridgeline; as rain washes across, it creates an environment where moss cannot grow.

Mold. Discolored streaks on a roof indicate there is mold, algae, or fungus, which can eat away at the roofing material and, ultimately, cause leaks. A treatment of chlorine bleach or copper sulfate solution applied with a garden sprayer can kill the mold.

Gutter damage. Heavy snow from the winter season can result in gutter damage while leftover fall leaves and debris can lead to clogged gutters. Before the springtime rain, check to make sure water can flow easily through the gutters and fix any loose nails that are preventing the gutters from sitting tightly along the roof line.

Missing shingles, chimney, and flashing. A complete inspection by a Winnipeg Roofing Contractor can uncover issues with missing shingles, chimney damage, or flashing around chimneys, vents, or other bends in the roof. Dealing with these potential issues in a timely manner will allow your roof to stand strong through the next season of weather challenges—and for many years to come.

Need a Quality Roofing Inspection Contractor?

If you are looking for an experienced Winnipeg roofing inspection contractor, consider All Weather Exteriors. With over 10 years of experience, our roofing crews are highly skilled and well trained. Whether your roof needs an inspection, a little patchwork or an overhaul- All Weather Exteriors is insured, licensed professional and are trained to get the job done right—and our work is always guaranteed!