How to Prevent Damage to Your Roof (and Home) from Summer Monsoons

If you’ve lived in the Phoenix or Tucson areas for any amount of time, you know that summertime is monsoon time here. And monsoons can mean anything from a light drizzle to high winds, lightning & thunder, downpours and flash floods. A leak in your roof during a monsoon can cause major damage not only to your home but also in your home.

Damage to your home is usually caused by one of two things – something (like a tree limb) was thrown onto your roof or your roofing materials themselves were damaged.

How to Prevent Roof Damage

Get your trees (and yard) in shape

The high winds and torrential rain that often accompany our monsoons wreak havoc on trees and tree limbs. And these falling limbs can land on your roof and create major problems for you. And sometimes the whole tree can topple over onto your home!

To make things worse, some of the most common types of trees in Arizona yards (like mesquite, palo verde, and eucalyptus trees) are especially susceptible to dropping limbs.

So how do you prevent this? You need to make sure your trees are healthy and well-rooted. Here’s an easy tutorial.

• Step 1 – Inspect the trees – You want to make sure your tree is healthy and not dead or dying. Look for cracks or splits in the trunk and branches, which can signal dead wood. Also keep an eye out for signs of decay, such as fungal growth and hollow cavities. Some trees are susceptible to insects like the palo verde borer. However, these insects typically target trees that are already diseased or weak, so they’re sure signs of a weak tree.
• Step 2 – Trim/prune the trees – Trees should be regularly trimmed and pruned to keep them healthy. Take off any limbs that look like they’re dead or dying and trim back all branches at least 10 feet from your roof. According to Moon Valley Nursery, a well-trimmed and healthy tree should be thin enough to see the sky above if you look through it.
• Step 3 – Keep your trees healthy – Your job isn’t done once you’ve trimmed and pruned your trees. You want to keep them healthy all year long to prevent roof and home damage (and to keep them looking good.) Make sure your tree is getting adequate water and fertilizer to stay healthy and strong.

Ensure your roof is ready

High winds and rain (not to mention the occasional hail storm) can also damage your roof. Loose or improperly applied shingles, shakes and tiles can get torn off during a monsoon storm, leaving your home open for water damage from rain.

The best way to keep that from happening is to make sure your roof is in good condition NOW – before the storms come. But knowing what to look for can be a difficult task and depends on the type of roof you have.

That’s why we offer free roof inspections. Just contact us online and we’ll send one of our roofing experts to check out the condition of your roof. They’ll look for things like:

• Loose or missing shingles, shakes and tiles
• Worn underlayment
• Balding or deteriorating shingles and shakes
• Signs of leaks/water damage
• Strength and condition of your sheathing & gables
• And much more

While a roof repair now isn’t much fun, it’s much less costly and inconvenient than a bigger repair that could have been prevented.

Want to get your free roof inspection? Contact us online or give us a call to get started.