The first thing to know about outdoor maintenance is that it has a huge impact on the health and appearance of your property.
It’s a time-consuming, laborious task that can easily sap your energy if you don’t plan for it properly. Plus, there are many factors to consider when undertaking this process—seasons/climate/topography—that will affect the amount of time and money needed for upkeep.
In order to help you prepare for the outdoor maintenance of your property, we’ve compiled a shortlist of things that will help you get started right away.
1. Consider the Best Times
Different environmental factors affect various parts of your property in different ways, which means you need to know what goes into each category—seasons, climate, and topography—in order to prepare properly.
Let’s look at the example of a roof. When conducting a roof cleaning in Perth, there are several things to remember. Start with selecting a calm day that will not have strong winds. A windy day might be good for raking leaves but it’s going to be horrible for cleaning your roof. It’s not just the wind, but also temperatures that you need to think about. The best time to maintain your property in hot climates is in the early morning or evening when it’s not too hot. During the summer months if the temperature is too high then the solar heat can damage certain types of shingles. Similarly, it’s advised to avoid cold climates in the winter because extremely cold weather, like freezing, can cause ice damage to your new roof or gutters.
2. Decide What Needs to Be Done
Once you have chosen a good day for cleaning your roof, it is time to decide what needs to be done. Start by checking your roof over for leaves and debris, if you find any, rake them off carefully. Now it’s time to inspect the gutters. If your gutters are filled with debris or overflowing then water might be pouring onto your foundation which will cause problems in the future. Clear out all of this debris before anything else, you don’t want to put yourself at risk for any injuries.
Additionally, different parts of your property require maintenance at different times of the year. For example, lawns should be maintained in the spring and fall, while trees may only need pruning during the winter.
3. Check Your Roof
Once you have cleaned out your gutters and cleared away any debris from your roof it’s time to check for any problems. This is the moment you have been waiting for, where you get to take a close look at those shingles. Is there anything wrong with them? This is also where you can decide if you want to change the type of roofing material you use. If there is a more eco option you have been considering, be sure to ask a contractor if it is viable in your area.
4. Fix Any Problems
After you have identified any problem areas with your roof it’s time to address those problems and get them fixed. The following are a list of things that commonly need fixing:
Missing or damaged shingles – if yours are missing for any reason, from a storm to human interference, then it’s time to get them replaced.
Missing granules – these let the water drain through so it’s important to have a professional inspect your system and fill in any gaps that you can’t reach while standing on your roof.
Leaks – if you think you have a leak but aren’t sure, then call a professional, such as Mighty Dog Roofing, to come out and take a look for you. Sometimes what you think is a leak actually isn’t, or it might be something else altogether that needs to be cleaned up before your problem gets worse.
Gutters and downspouts that need repair – if your gutters and downspouts are clogged or damaged, then they need to be fixed as soon as possible. Clogged gutters won’t drain properly which can lead to water pooling around your foundation and that wetness can foster the growth of mildew and mold even. Mold is a big problem for many people.
Roof penetrations (skylights, etc) that require resealing – if any of your roof penetrations are letting water in, then get them fixed. Even something as small as a recent installation of skylights can cause problems if they are not properly sealed to keep out moisture.
Be mindful of the different aspects that contribute to outdoor maintenance. These include topography, climate, and season which can have a huge impact on how much time you’ll need for your property. It’s important to plan accordingly so you don’t get caught out by surprise!
