The trees on your property affect its value, the beauty of your property and the functionality of your land. However, trees also affect your roof in particular. If you want your trees to have the most positive effect on your home as possible, here are some tips to keep in mind.
1. Maximise shade.
The shade that trees provide help to boost the energy efficiency of your home. When trimming your trees, make sure that you don't trim them so dramatically that there is no shade on your home. Ideally, you want enough shade so that your home doesn't heat up from the sun and counteract the cooling created by your air conditioner or cooling fans.
2. Cut dead or damaged branches.
Whilst you need shade, you don't want branches falling on your roof and damaging it. To that end, talk with a tree trimmer about pruning dead branches and removing any damaged branches as well. Similarly, if you have a neighbour with trees overhanging your roof, either prune them yourself or talk with your neighbour about taking care of them.
3. Don't err on the side of too shady.
In addition to trimming branches that pose a large risk of damage, look for an overall pattern of too much shade on your roof. In particular, if you have a lot of tree branches extending over your roof and the entire roof is shaded, you may want to trim the trees so that they all have a symmetrical canopy and so that your roof gets some sun.
That prevents the growth of mould on your shingles. If you already have a problem with mould, talk with a roofing contractor about getting rid of it and about how much sun your roofing materials need to resist the growth of mould.
4. Take down bug bridges.
In addition to removing branches that pose danger or provide too much shade to your roof, also look at branches that touch your roof. If a tree branch touches your roof or the gutters, it gives termites, carpenter ants and other creatures a bridge to cross into your home. Tear down that roadway by trimming the ends of those branches to protect your home and your roof.
5. Take steps to prevent clogged gutters.
Finally, if tree leaves are clogging your gutters, take steps to protect the gutters. If you have already followed all of the other tips and there are still leaves getting into your gutter, look into installing gutter guards or other protective measures.
For more information, consult with a roofing contractor.
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