Ways Trees Cause Damage To Your Asphalt Shingle Roof
If the trees close to your house have grown quite a bit since the last time you cut the branches back, the branches might be sweeping your shingles when the wind blows. This can cause damage that eventually leads to a roof leak. The first step is to cut back the branches so they are far from your roof. Then you may want a roof repair contractor to check your shingles for damage. Here are ways tree branches put your roof at risk of damage and roof repairs it could need.
Branches Brush Against The Roof
It may not seem like leaves rubbing across the roof would cause much damage, but tree branches get heavy when it rains. Plus, the wind can make the branches scrape with force. This action can scrape off granules and even dislodge the shingles.
If it looks like the roof has a big dark spot under the branches, that's probably due to the loss of granules. This causes the roof to age faster because the granules protect the shingles from sun damage. They also supply the color to the roof, so when they're gone, your roof looks much darker. A roof repair contractor can fix this problem by putting new shingles on in the area.
Leaves And Branches Litter The Roof
Another problem with trees that hang over your roof is their debris will collect on the shingles. This can hold moisture in or contribute to shingle loss when pine cones or branches are blown over the shingles. Roof debris may blow off, but when leaves get wet and stick together, they form clumps that can get stuck in valleys or behind the chimney. Fortunately, these places have flashing to prevent water damage, but it's not good to hold moisture against the roof.
Weeds might start growing in the decaying leaves or bugs might move in and attract birds that start clawing and pecking on your roof to get the bugs. If tree debris doesn't blow off on its own, you may need to hire someone to clean your roof periodically. Otherwise, the roofer may need to repair water damage by patching in new decking and putting on new shingles.
Big Branches Might Crash Down On The Roof
Big tree branches or a limb can crash onto your roof during a bad storm. If the limb is right over your house, it will crash on your roof and it could cause damage to the deck and shingles. You may even need emergency roof repair when this occurs.
This can happen to healthy trees, but trees that are sick or injured are at a higher risk of problems during a bad storm. The entire tree might even topple onto your house and cause extensive damage. Your roof could need structural roof repair in addition to putting on a whole new roof when a big limb or tree falls on your house.
For more information, contact a company such as Minnesota Roofing Company.