During monsoon season, the southwest region of the United States can get pretty messy. With a variety of natural events like high winds, hail, torrential rains, flash floods, and haboobs, Arizona can turn into almost a blender of desert conditions on your roof. There are many different causes for roof weather damage in Phoenix and Mesa. At times, winds throughout the valley can frequently exceed 100 mph during various thunderstorms and microbursts. These tips will help in preventing damage to your roof from summer monsoons.
If you’re trying to prevent against falling debris and tree branches damaging your house and vehicles, it is vital to tend to your yard. Be proactive and trim the trees you have as well as any bushes or shrubs. While professional roofers aren’t landscapers by any means, they are aware of the nearby trees that can damage your roof.
Below is a simple 3-step process for ensuring that your trees are healthy and in good shape.
Step 1 – Check out your trees and bushes
It is crucial to identify the trees and shrubs that may be dying or in bad shape. Do your best to inspect them to ensure there is nothing overlooked that might be jarred loose in high winds. Keep an eye out for any cracks or splits in the branches and the trunk. If you do come across these, it’s usually a good signal for dead wood. Signs of decay, such as fungal growth and hollow cavities are also important in identifying what could damage your roof and property.
Step 2 – Trim the trees, prune the bushes
Make sure to keep up with the maintenance of the plants and trees in your yard. Remove any branches and limbs that look like dead wood has set in. Give your roof a solid 10 feet of clearance from any trees in your yard. It is usually a good rule of thumb to keep your trees thin enough to see the sky above if you look through them.
Step 3 – Make sure your trees stay healthy
It is an ongoing duty to keep an eye on the health and condition of the trees in your yard. Keep them regularly trimmed and prune on a month-to-month basis. Maybe even on a weekly basis during monsoon season so you don’t risk it. This helps any loose or dead limbs from being thrown and damaging your home or roof. Make sure your trees are getting enough water and fertilizer to keep them strong and able to withstand those 100 mph gusts of monsoon winds.
Lightning is an important aspect of monsoon season here in the desert. Many people don’t know that next to Florida, Arizona actually has the most lightning strikes for any state in the United States. It isn’t a huge surprise to learn that a large portion of these lightning strikes occurs during the monsoon storms. This eludes to the point that it is both safe and beneficial to have a lightning rod installed somewhere on your roof to help divert and electrical stikes.
With storm season fast approaching, it is recommended to check with a professional roofer to inspect your roof to ensure that it is prepared to… weather the storm. These tips are designed to help in preventing damage to your roof from summer monsoons. It is important to have your roofing contractor do a thorough exam of your roof to catch both small and big problems. The big issues will seem more pressing now, but it doesn’t take too long before those little worries turn into huge concerns. There are many types of roofs and some are better for those big monsoon months like foam roofing.
Here is a list of items that should be inspected:
Making it a point to establish rapport with a professional roofer is important for being prepared as well as in case of an emergency. Even if you tend to your trees and add a lightning rod to your roof, it is always nice to get the advice from a professional roofing contractor. For a free estimate, contact Capstone Roofing here in the valley.
Serving the cities of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert and more — we’ll help you get back to worrying about more important things!