At Dale’s Roofing, we love trees. Really. They provide shade and curb appeal, and when well-maintained, they can elevate your property. That said, if your trees grow too close to the home or have branches that hang over or even touch your roof, you could be setting yourself up for a world of hurt.
Risks That Come with Overhanging Branches
Sure, you know that an overhanging branch might snap off in the middle of a windstorm, but that isn’t the only risk involved. Others include:
- The branches against your roof could encourage mold growth (our old friend, gloeocapsa magma).
- Leaves can get into your gutters, clogging them up and leading to roof leaks or other water damage.
- Wind can cause overhanging limbs to scrape against the roof, even if the limbs don’t snap off.
Overhanging branches can also negatively affect the health of the tree itself. If left untrimmed or otherwise not pruned, the tree could become susceptible to pests, disease, or both.
How to Tell if a Limb is Dangerous
If the branch in question hangs over your home and is close enough to make contact with your roof, siding, windows, or any part of the house, it should be trimmed back to avoid potential damage.
How to Proceed
You’ve determined that you have a few branches that could stand to be trimmed back—so what next?
You might be tempted to tackle this project yourself, but this is a bad idea for a couple of reasons. The foremost being, if you’re not used to climbing trees, you could put yourself at great personal risk by trying to do so to trim your trees. Climbing trees is an art, especially when you’re balancing and operating power tools.
Secondly, any limb that is close enough to your home to be of concern is one you want to remove properly. Unless you’re a certified arborist in your spare time, you run the risk of cutting the branches incorrectly, which could lead to the exact type of damage you were trying to avoid in the first place.
If you have overhanging limbs in need of removal, we recommend contacting the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield to find a reputable professional. And after, don’t hesitate to call Dale’s Roofing for a free roof inspection. Keeping on top of roof maintenance is how you get the most out of your roof, ensuring you don’t need costly repairs or a full roof replacement years ahead of schedule.
