Homeowners spend thousands improving their backyards. Beautiful landscaping. Expertly designed patios. High-quality furniture. We spend countless hours picking out grass seed. Debating which mulch is best.
But there’s one thing most people overlook.
The roof.
An unhealthy roof negatively impacts the inside of your home. But did you know that a leaky roof can destroy your backyard as well?
Inside this article:
- Why Roof Issues Wreck Outdoor Spaces
- Exterior Damage No One Tells You About
- 5 Signs You Might Be Ignoring
- How To Protect Your Backyard
Why Roof Issues Wreck Outdoor Spaces
Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against rain, wind, debris, and other natural elements.
If that defense gets compromised water will find its way where it shouldn’t.
Here’s something else to consider:
Research shows that 38% of American homes have roofs that are in either moderate or poor condition. That means that nearly 4 out of 10 properties across the country have roofing issues at this very moment.
But the issues don’t stop at the attic.
Leaks and water damage inside a home almost always accompany visible damage outside. Missing shingles and deteriorating flashing allow water to trickle down exterior walls. That water pools around foundations, drains into landscaping beds, and destroys patio furniture. It’s common for exterior property damage to occur when there are issues with your roof.
Households looking for roofing restoration in Stillwater know this problem all too well. If you live in an area that frequently deals with severe storms one episode can compromise your roof’s integrity and cause a chain reaction of problems that trickle down into your backyard.
Roof health directly correlates to your outdoor oasis. Neglect one and you’re inviting problems with the other.
Exterior Damage Your Roof Can Cause To Your Backyard
We typically only think about roof damage once we notice water stains on the ceiling.
That’s a problem.
Damage to the outside of your home can go unnoticed for months. During that time your backyard can suffer from issues that started way above.
Here are some problems roofs cause with outdoor living spaces:
- Rainwater pools around foundations when gutters and rooflines are compromised. The extra water erodes landscaping beds and weakens patio integrity over time.
- Plants die when gutter systems are clogged or broken. Soil becomes oversaturated and gardens can often turn into swamps. Soil should never be soggy. Grass will drown too.
- Mold and mildew live where moisture exists. If your roof is creating moisture problems outdoors the spores will spread to everything below. Furniture, decks, gardens; you name it.
- Water can make its way into connection points where decks, pergolas, and patios attach to homes. Once inside these outdoor structures can rot from the inside out.
Stop and think about this for a second…
The Insurance Information Institute discovered that 1 in 67 homeowners file a water damage related insurance claim every year. A majority of those claims actually included damage to the outside of properties.
What’s even worse is…
The average water damage insurance claim is just over $15k. That’s more than enough money to budget for an entire outdoor living space renovation.
Signs Your Roof Might Be Hurting Your Backyard
Identifying roof issues early can save your backyard.
The tricky part is knowing what to look for.
Here are some signs that will tip you off:
- Losing granules? If you start to notice small pebbles around your flower beds pay attention. Asphalt roofs lose granules as they begin to age and wear. Finding them in your yard is a tell tale sign that your roof above is coming down with it.
- Stained siding and exterior walls. Dark streaks that make their way down from your roofline means water is escaping. That water will find landscaping elements and outdoor features to destroy.
- Pooling water sitting around your foundation. Water should never pool up around your home’s base. If you notice small ponds forming after rainstorms there could be an issue with your gutters or roof drainage.
- Sagging gutters. Gravity is your friend when it comes to gutter health. Gutters should not be pulling away from your roofline or sagging. Water flows downhill and if your gutters aren’t aligned correctly everything below becomes a splash zone.
- Moss or algae growth on roof. These two thrive on moisture. Once they start to grow on your roof they are trapping water against your shingles. Not only will this accelerate roof issues it creates drainage problems for everything below.
Roofs don’t fail overnight. Catching these issues early can save your backyard from complete destruction.
How To Protect Your Backyard From Roof Issues
Now that you know what to look for let’s talk solutions.
There are simple things you can do to keep your backyard beautiful.
Here are my recommendations:
Annual roof inspections. Hire a roofing contractor to come take a look at your roof each year. Professionals can spot small problems before they become costly and cause water damage to your home and outdoor space. Maintaining your roof is cheap when you don’t allow moisture to destroy wood frames and foundations.
Clean your gutters. Seriously. Your gutters should be cleaned twice a year at a minimum. Clogged gutters spill over and dump water directly onto your landscaping. Keeping your gutters clean is the number one thing you can do to prevent outdoor property damage.
Fix the little things. That small leak today will turn into a landslide of issues tomorrow. Water destroys wood deck quickly. It causes landscaping to die and kill soil beds. Don’t become that homeowner that waits too long and watches everything fall apart.
Budget for both together. Adding a new deck? Make sure your roof above it is ready for another 10+ years of storms first.
Preventative care goes a long way!
Your backyard doesn’t have to be destroyed because your roof is in poor condition. Maintenance and care take patience. Don’t wait until your house falls apart to schedule that yearly inspection. Your outdoor space is just as important as what’s above it.
Conclusion
Do you see the connection now?
The health of your roof matters more than most homeowners realize. There is a direct link between your outdoor space and everything happening above your head. Roofs don’t grow damaged overnight and neither does backyard destruction.
If you pay close attention to your roof and catch these problems early you can save your backyard from devastation.
Nearly 40% of homes across America need some type of roofing repair or maintenance at this very moment. Many of those households have gone months without addressing those concerns. We all know what happens when rainwater pools around foundations and seeps into wood structures. Expensive materials begin to rot.
The solution is pretty simple if you ask me:
- Schedule annual roof inspections
- Trim bushes that grow too close to roofs
- Keep gutters clean and free of debris
- Repair damaged flashing and shingles quickly
Don’t wait for the water to find its way down into your backyard. Stop it at the source.
Your roof.