Your Summer Roof Maintenance Checklist

Summer is almost upon us, which means that Florida’s most volatile season is about to begin. Between extreme heat, high humidity, and the occasional hurricane, a bit of summer roof maintenance to help harden your home against the elements can go a long way. But what does taking care of your roof look like in the Florida summer?

PITCH Roofing’s founding contractors have spent more than 60 combined summers working on Florida roofs, so we know what your roof is up against and what it needs to thrive. Stick with us as we go over how to care for your roof in the hot Florida summer!

3 Crucial Pieces of Summer Roof Maintenance

Roof maintenance is a great way to stay ahead of roofing issues and catch problems before they become serious. And checking on your roof is often less involved than many homeowners realize. Here are a few simple roof maintenance steps you can take to make sure your roof is ready for the summer!

DIY Roof Inspection

Even if you’re not a professional roofer, you’d be surprised how many roofing problems a close look can reveal. However, one common issue we notice is that homeowners don’t always look at all parts of their roofs. Every part matters, though, so here’s what you should look for in each part of your roofing system as part of your summer roof maintenance:

• Shingles: Check for cracks, curling at the edges, and missing granules.
• Flashing: Look for bent flashing, gaps between flashing and your roof, and signs of rust on these thin meal strips.
• Vents: Make sure your vents aren’t visibly worn and don’t show any signs of degradation.
• Gutters: Check for clogs and make sure that all parts of your guttering system are firmly adhered to your home.
• Attic (Interior): Look for water staining, mold, or a musty smell. Any one of these indicates a roof leak.

You may feel comfortable replacing an individual shingle or two on your own, and those kinds of repairs can usually be done safely by a homeowner. For leaks or more substantial signs of damage, though, it’s best to call in the professionals to make sure that the damage is stopped at its source and fully remediated.

Trim Overhanging Branches

During a hurricane, one of the things most likely to damage your roof is storm debris. This includes anything carried by winds and converted into a projectile, but debris commonly comes from items left outside and overhanging branches. Even a minor storm can deal damage this way, whipping branches into your shingles over and over again.

For this reason, it’s best to trim any overhanging branches before hurricane season starts. This way, you’ll minimize your risk of a branch snapping off during a hurricane and landing on your roof. Of course, this risk is never zero, so another piece of summer roof maintenance is to take a peek at your roof after a storm to make sure there’s no debris on your roof and no damage to your shingles.

Clean Your Gutters

Gutters do essential work helping move water off your roofing system. That’s especially important during summer, when the rainy season hits and your roof suddenly has to deal with huge downpours. But if they’re clogged, your gutters can’t function as intended. That’s why checking on them should be part of everyone’s summer roof maintenance checklist.

Cleaning gutters shouldn’t be a huge undertaking, and it’s also a good time to make sure your gutters are still firmly adhered in place. If you find cleaning your gutters is too cumbersome or takes longer than you’d like, you could consider gutter guards as a way to reduce the cleaning schedule.

When to Do Summer Roof Maintenance

Starting your roof maintenance in early summer or even a few weeks before is a great idea. For one thing, this lets you avoid the hottest temperatures. That’s also why most homeowners inspect their roofs in the morning — the temperature is much more forgiving. But more importantly, checking on your roof early in the summer will allow you to make sure your roof is in top shape before the next tropical storm hits.

You should also make sure there’s no immediate chance of rain before accessing your roof. A wet roof is a slippery roof, and your safety must take priority at every stage of this process. Nobody wants a damaged roof, but damaging yourself will only add to your list of problems!

Up to now, we’ve focused on what you can do on your own. But while these steps are excellent for maintaining your roof in the summer, they aren’t a substitute for professional roof repairs. Any damage to your roof is only going to worsen with Florida’s summer conditions, so getting ahead of it is the best thing you can do for your roof and your wallet.

When you need professional roofing services, you can count on PITCH to be there. Of all the things you can do to protect your roof, working with trusted professionals is arguably the most important aspect of summer roof maintenance!

Get Your Free Roofing Estimate

Whether you’ve found signs of damage or you want a professional to take a closer look, PITCH has your back. In our time as Florida roofers, we’ve seen it all. And getting help you can depend on starts with acquiring your free, no-obligation roofing estimate.

For your free roofing quote, call us at 727-677-4824 or fill out our contact form. We’ll dispatch a friendly roofing professional to inspect and measure your roof and discuss potential solutions with you. They’ll then take all that information and create a personalized quote that walks you through your roofing job line by line. With an itemized estimate, there is no room for hidden fees or other nasty surprises!

Summer roof maintenance isn’t something that you want to skip over. Your roof endures a lot, and checking in on it before the volatile summer starts is a great way to protect your home and your investment. Reach out to our friendly customer service crew today and see how easy all this can be with a little Roofing Done Right!