No one wants to hear this, but now that the leaves are beginning to fall, it’s a matter of time before winter is here. And as per the usual, whether you’re in the north dealing with the ice and snow, or down here in the south with the constant rain and salty air – the elements are back to challenge your home once more.

The important part is making sure your home is prepared for it all and that begins with sticking to your usual fall maintenance plan. Metal roofs can take a beating – and that’s the reason you bought one. But making sure they’re capable of providing the best protection possible is important.

Here are some things you can do to not only get your roof ready for the winter weather, but also to put your roof in the best possible position to do what it does best.

Minimize the accumulation of debris

While rain and snow can rinse away a lot of detritus, certain configurations make it impossible for that to happen. That means you’ll have to clean off the roof from time to time. Just be careful about how you do it. For example, If your debris is built up in a particular place – then shooting water to clean it out isn’t the best idea. Why? Because the water will pool and won’t be able to escape. That could cause rusting and a whole host of headaches.

Just be sure to keep as much debris as possible off your roof and make sure things stay that way.

Make sure branches are clear of your roof

Constant abrasions from tree branches and bushes can really do a number on your metal roof’s finish. If the branches are sharp or big enough – they could do even more damage. Just be sure they’re trimmed back and not over or brushing up against your roof system.

Gutter cleaners are a must

We mentioned this last month – but it bears repeating. Backed up gutters can cause just as many problems for a metal roof as they do a traditional one, so be sure to keep them clean and clear. Clogged gutters can cause corrosion on a roof that would otherwise last 100 years if there was proper drainage, so make sure things are clear!

Not the time to paint

By all means – keep the paint sprayer away from your roof. Don’t use it paint the outside of your home and most def. don’t allow it on your roof. It can run, get caught in the wind and then almost nothing effective can be done to clean it off. To boot – it can ruin the base function of your roof if it has some sort of treatment coating on top.

Stick to these tips and you should be in the best possible position to beat back Jack Frost and have a comfortable, worry free winter. Good luck!