During the years of my upbringing in southwest Houston, my dad owned a number of small rent houses in the Bellaire area. As the oldest son, it was my responsibility from the time I could drive until my early marriage years to empty them, repair all kinds of items, re-glaze windows, mow the yards, roof them, and paint and caulk them to get ready for another tenant. Every summer … and any break when I was home, I was probably doing something on one or more of the houses. Sometimes my dad would simply tell me to go and give the houses a “haircut.” By that he meant to sweep the roof valleys and decking clean and cut all the trees and bushes so they didn’t hit the roof. It’s really amazing that I never fell off a single roof trying to reach just a little bit farther to cut a branch as far away from the roof as possible.
From all of that experience, I learned an important major aspect about keeping houses properly maintained. I just had the big 6-0 birthday last month and still get up on my roof several times a year to make sure that the roof and valleys are clean and that there are not branches touching the roof or edges.
Does your house need a “haircut?” Tree limbs and vegetation can cause a lot of damage to a roof. The trees may not be hitting the house when they’re stationary, but when a storm blows in, the branches will sway and hit the edges or decking and cause a lot of damage.
A house I inspected recently had so much vine growth on the rear side of the roof decking that it looked like ground cover ivy – you couldn’t see the whole corner portion of the roof. Not only is this a situation that retains moisture on the roof which causes decay, but it’s a major conducive condition for insect intrusion. Some bushes and trees grow faster than others, so you’ve got to trim them back more often.
If you’re planting new bushes or trees in your yard, think about what the maintenance of them is going to be like where you’re planting them and try to picture that tree in 10-15 years. It may be fine now, but bear in mind what the roots and limbs be like when it’s a mature tree and plant it accordingly.
Giving a home a haircut is not a fun project, but it’s necessary. Get the ladder, saw, clippers, chainsaw, broom and blower out, and get sweaty and dirty trimming everything away from your house or hire someone else to do it. Maybe you know a high school or college student who could use some extra money. Tell him your house needs a haircut! An entrepreneurial student could build up a solid client base and make some good money doing this consistently for others.
No two houses are alike. You need to keep your eye on what your house needs and how often to keep everything from hitting the roof, edges, soffits, and siding. Please be extra careful when you’re standing or teetering on a ladder and walking or standing near the edge of the roof.
In the same way that you always feel better when you’ve gotten a good haircut, your house will feel and look better too! This is also preventative maintenance that will prevent you from making some costly repairs. Take a before and after picture, and post them on Facebook the great job you did!
Keep your trees cut and roof clean my friends.
