Austin Roofing Contractor for Fall Maintenance

With the fall weather finally starting to kick in, your family may be heading outdoors to enjoy the cooler weather. Whether you are taking a nice walk to look at the fall colors, playing in the yard with your kids, or just sitting outside and enjoying a pumpkin latte while watching the sunset, don't forget to set aside time this season to take care of home maintenance tasks.

Here are 3 ways to prevent roofing problems during the winter storms:

Fall Maintenance Roof Inspection

Preventative roof maintenance is much preferable to an emergency. If your roof is damaged, water can leak into your home (sometimes without you knowing it) and cause structural damage that can be expensive to repair.

What needs to be inspected?:

• Signs of damage on your roof from storms -- including missing or damaged shingles.
• Areas of damage around the vents, skylights, chimneys and other structures on the roof.
• Roof wear and hail damage.

Clean Your Gutters

You may not realize what an important task your gutters have. They channel the water coming off of your roof so that it stays away from the foundation of your house and prevents inside flooding. However, if the gutters are clogged with leaves, sticks and other debris, they can back up and force water back underneath your shingles, causing damage to your roof.

If you aren't comfortable with cleaning the gutters out yourself, call a professional service and make sure they:

• Clear out all of the leaves, sticks, mud and other debris from the gutters and drain pipes.
• Make sure that all gutters are firmly attached to the roof.
• Run water down the gutters to make sure there are no leaks or clogs.
• Ensure that the gutters are not sagging and that they drain cleanly, not leaving puddles that can attract mosquito larvae.

Tree Trimming Fall Maintenance

Walk around your house and look at your trees to see whether they are growing too close to your roof line. While large trees are important for shade and add a lot of value to your home, you also need to be sure that the summer growth does not endanger your roof. During a storm, branches can scrape against a roof and cause damage. Ice storms can cause some branches to break and fall. Even smaller branches that fall on your roof during a storm can cause damage.

Fall is a good time to call in a tree trimmer to make sure that:

• Dead branches are removed.
• Limbs close to the roof are removed.
• No branches are in danger of falling down directly on your roof.

Austin Roofing Contractor for Fall Maintenance

Going into the winter, you can be sure your home is in the best condition by having a professional roof inspection. Longhorn Roofing is a full-service Austin roofing contractor that can assist you with fall roof maintenance and repairs. With over 30 years of experience inspecting homes in the Austin area, Longhorn Roofing is always happy to talk with homeowners and can arrange a free estimate during a time that works well for you.