As I walked to my car today and was buffeted by the high winds, I thought, “hey, it’s a blog post.” On almost every inspection report I have seen in my career, I have seen the recommendation for the owners to trim the trees back away from the roof. The reason is simple – although they look innocent enough and aren’t touching the roof, when the high winds come blowing through, those branches start moving and become the equivalent of a giant wire brush running across your roof tiles. Each branch and leaf turns into a potential gouge in your roof tiles (regardless of the roofing material) and headaches for your down the line – whether it be leaks, pests, or having to repair it when you go to sell.
Even if you’re not considering selling your home anytime soon, you should always keep those branches trimmed back in order to avoid costly roof repairs and potential damage from water when it rains. This simple piece of maintenance can save you a lot of money in the long run. In addition to the dangers of wind damage, branches close to your roof also provide the perfect entrance to your home for many wood destroying insects (carpenter ants in particular love this method of entry).
