March 2017 is officially on the record for being the “gloomiest” month Vancouver has seen in a very long time, with only a fraction of the usual amount of sunlight. But despite the effort of the clouds and rain, cherry blossoms are breaking through and daffodils are stubbornly baring their yellow brightness to help cheer us all up.

Whether the rain in Vancouver ever stops or not, spring is technically and officially here. And with the change of seasons comes a new list of home chores. Spring is the time to dust off the garden tools and replace shovels with shears.

One major home chore that needs to be done every spring is cleaning a building’s roof. While major repairs should be done by a roofing contractor, a homeowner needs to take the time to ensure their roof hasn’t undergone winter damage and to set it afresh for the coming summer.

Here are some Spring Cleaning tips, brought to you by a Roofing Contractor who knows their stuff. (Caution: any time you attempt to climb onto your roof to clean or repair, do so with the utmost caution. Safety first.)

1. Clear roof of debris

Windy days and stormy weather can cause twigs, branches and other debris to blow about and land on your roof. Especially if you have trees in your yard or nearby, there’s a good chance that things have accumulated on your roof over the winter. Depending on the pitch of your roof, you can either sweep debris off or use a blower to clear it away.

2. Wash roof of mould and mildew

We’ve all seen houses with roofs where bright green moss and mould are starting to overtake. And it won’t stop unless you do something about it. Every spring, especially after a rainy Vancouver winter, it’s important to remove mould, mildew and moss before it starts spreading out of control. The type of tiles and roofing material will dictate what method you should use (pressure washer vs. garden hose sprayer). If you don’t take this preventative measure, if could lead to leakage and mould growing inside your home.

3. Clean the gutters

Everyone’s favourite job! Cleaning the gutters invokes a sense dread for many, but it has to be done. If your gutters are left to accumulate debris and build up, it will lead to bigger problems down the road — rainwater will overflow and cause damage to your roof, and over time, can affect the foundation of your home. To clean the gutters, take a secure ladder, throw on some heavy duty gloves and prepare to get dirty.

4. Check roof for damage

Spring is the best time to see if a roof has incurred any damage over the winter storms. In Vancouver, the city has seen its fair share of wind, rain and snow storms and there is a chance that your roof has been affected. Depending on the shape of your roof, you can often see the obvious damage from the ground. You might want to break out a pair of binoculars to be sure. Look for bent, split and broken shingles.

You can also get on the roof and do a closer inspection. If you do find damage to your roof, call a professional roofing contractor to come in and assess the problem. They will offer a plan on how to best move forward.

Spring cleaning isn’t always the most pleasant task to tackle, but it needs to be done. And once it is completed, the satisfaction of starting a new season with a clean slate is hard to beat. Especially when it comes to roofing, regular maintenance goes a long way to save time and money. Taking preventative actions like cleaning, removing and performing inspections can ensure that small problems don’t turn into big catastrophes.

Take it from a roofing professional — proper spring cleaning is well worth the effort.