Tree Pruning: How to Keep Your Roof Safe from Damage

Trees in the yard benefit your home in many ways. They provide shade that cools the roof, they help prevent soil erosion around your home, and they shield your home from high winds. Arborists, along with residential and commercial roofing contractors like us, recommend pruning your trees on a regular basis. Texas Traditions Roofing shares why this is important.

The Importance of Pruning Trees

Tree pruning is the practice of selectively removing parts of a plant. Some prune their trees to remove dead or diseased limbs or branches to promote healthy tissue growth, while others do it for aesthetic purposes. Yet another reason to do so is for safety reasons, as dead and dry branches may present a hazard, especially if they come in contact with electrical lines.

Tree branches may grow close to the roof and poke the outer surface. This can gradually strip the granules off the roof and expose the layers underneath, which could allow water intrusion that will require significant roof repair work or even an unplanned roof replacement.

Pruning Your Trees

If tree branches are too close to your roof, your best course of action is to hire an arborist or a landscaping professional to properly trim it. Cutting the wrong branch may be fatal to the tree itself. However, if neither option is available, there are several things you should keep in mind before you take out your pruning shears:

  • Plan where you will make your cuts. Carefully inspect the tree, and take note of how the outer branches stem from the larger ones. Make sure you avoid pruning live branches attached to the trunk.

  • Use a pole pruner when cutting high branches, instead of using a stepladder or climbing the tree.

  • If the branch has a small bud, make a sharp, clean, and slightly angled cut about 1/4 inches beyond the bud.

  • Create a 10-foot clearance between the roof and the outer branches. In addition to preventing branches from scratching the roof, it also allows enough room for growth so you don’t have to prune the trees too often. It also helps reduce the number of leaves that get into the gutters.

 

Texas Traditions Roofing is your leading provider of roof replacement, repair, and maintenance services. Give us a call at (512) 942-0427 or fill out our contact form. We serve customers in Round Rock, TX, and surrounding areas.