Pollen…
We’ve all dealt with it. People have been sneezing and rubbing at their itchy eyes everywhere we look. The beautiful flowers in the springtime definitely make everything worth it, but it can be a pain to get into your car every morning and scrape the sticky yellow dust from your windshield over and over.
This is the big problem. Besides the horrid allergies and yellow cars, pollen is sticky. You see what it does to your car, but what about your house?
In the early Spring, there seems to be a layer of yellow pollen over everything. It doesn’t look great, and it isn’t the safest to clean. We never recommend climbing up onto your roof if you don’t have experience, but we especially want you to avoid climbing up there with lots of pollen. Not only is pollen sticky, but it can hold onto moisture, making it slippery.
Speaking of which, that moisture can build up over time. What happens when moisture sits on a roof?
Mildew, mold, algae, lichen, and other fungi love growing on moist roofs. This is very dangerous for your shingles. Some of the worst damage can come from these as they keep growing and expanding, morphing your roof in the process. This means you will need to replace it much sooner.
Since pollen is sticky, it also continues to build up, layer after layer. While a good storm might wash this off, light rainfalls won’t always help. In fact, they could just make things worse by making the pollen moist.
The sticky buildup can also clog gutters and cause leaks. Isn’t that crazy?
In addition, pollen can get stuck between roofing materials, forcing shingles out of place as other dirt continues to collect and stick to it.
With all of this in mind, hopefully you can see why it is important to keep your roof clean. If you see a bunch of pollen, and can’t easily brush it off yourself, then please call a professional. Keeping an eye on your house during every season is essential, and understanding how to take proper care of your roof will keep it sturdier for longer!
As always, if you have a question, give us a call!
