Your Roof vs. Leaves

When we think of roof damage, we often think of falling trees and heavy wind. While that can be very damaging to roofs, what about the little, everyday details? What about leaves? They may seem small and insignificant, but if you let them go unchecked, you could face bigger problems.  

Your Roof vs. Leaves: Don't Leave Leaves On Your Roof 

When leaves fall on your roof during autumn, they clump together in piles and absorb any water that would usually be drained in the gutters. This excess water has nowhere else to go but down into the home, leading to rot and distortion of the shingles and support beams. If there's a large leaf buildup, the weight alone can cause pressure on the roofing beams and weaken them, creating soft spots in your roof and leaving it more prone to damage.

Your Roof vs. Leaves: Leaves Attract Life

Leaves also offer ideal shelter for bugs and insects to hide. If the leaves are already rotting, it could attract termites, which would be detrimental to roofs made with wooden shakes and shingles or exposed plywood. Even if you don’t have rotting wood, insects may see your roof as just part of the rapidly decaying material to make their home in. 

Fallen leaves also have the ideal organic materials for moss to grow in shady areas of the roof, and weeds to grow in sunny areas. These weeds need room to grow and often sprout and extend past your shingles and gutter if left to their own devices.

Your Roof vs. Leaves: Leaving Leaves In Your Gutter

One of the main things people think of when they think of leaves and roofs is clogged gutters. Excessive leaves can cause gutters to overflow with water and allow material to fester and decay in your gutters and on your roof. The water damage and rot can quickly spread to the wooden fascia and soffits, and all the way down to your foundation. Once the fascia and soffit began to rot, it opens the door for more termites, pests, and mold. 

You may wonder how your foundation can be affected by leaves. Well, when the gutters are stuffed with leaves and overflow with water, that can erode the soil around your foundation. This then increases the underground water pressure and can cause basement leaks and foundation cracks if you aren’t careful. So yes, the roof can affect the state of your basement as well. 

Your Roof vs. Leaves: Cleaning

The best way to beat leaves is to clear them BEFORE they become a problem. Cleaning your gutters at least twice a year in the fall and spring can help, as gutters tend to get filled with leaves, pine needles, seeds, branches, and other debris. If left to rot, dead leaves will absorb water and weigh down your gutters, possibly causing them to pull away from your house and scrape away at your windows and siding.

Ensuring that you keep the tree branches overhanging your roof trimmed can also be a big help in avoiding leaf pile-up. This can give your roof more sunlight as well, preventing the growth of moss and mildew, the possibility of branches falling, and dry up excess moisture.

Clearing these leaves before winter sets in is best. If you leave them, they will be left to decay and decompose on your shingles for several months and cause more damage. If you want to remove them yourself, a leaf blower is feasible, but using a rake or broom can also help if the roof is too dangerous to navigate.

Your Roof vs. Leaves: Interesting Facts

• A mature tree has an average of 200,000 leaves
• Trees have different numbers of leaves, varying from 20,000-7,000,000
• Fall colors depend on home much sugar there is in the leaves
• Dry weather and sunlight lead to brighter red leaves in the fall
• The oils in leaves are rumored to have healing properties
• Leaves account for 75% of our waste in the fall

Put a Klaus on your House

Even if you've removed the leaves from your roof, there can still be soft spots and rot damage on your roof that can be undetectable to the untrained eye. That's when you want to put a Klaus on your house! We offer free estimates so we can come and inspect your roof to see if anything is amiss! Schedule your FREE estimate today!