Field guide · Oct 19, 2026
Fall roof maintenance in Michigan: a pre-winter checklist.
October is the last easy month to deal with your roof. Once the freeze-thaw cycles start, small problems get expensive fast — a clogged gutter becomes an ice dam, a cracked boot becomes a January ceiling stain. Here’s what’s actually worth doing before winter, in the order that matters. Most of it you can do yourself from the ground. The rest is what we’re here for.
1. Clean the gutters — and check the downspouts
This is the single highest-value fall job on the list. Clogged gutters don’t just overflow; in Michigan they hold water that freezes, and the ice works its way under the shingles at the eave. When you clean them, run a hose down each downspout too — a gutter that drains into a clogged downspout is a gutter that’s still clogged. Timing: late October into early November, after most of the leaves are down but before the first hard freeze.
2. Get the leaves off the roof
Leaves collect in valleys, behind chimneys, and anywhere the roof flattens out. A wet mat of leaves holds moisture against the shingles for weeks, and in the freeze-thaw cycle that turns into lifted edges and granule loss. A leaf blower from a ladder — not from the roof surface — clears most of it. If you’ve got a low-slope section that ponds, that standing water deserves attention before it ices over; see our price book for what membrane work runs.
3. Scan the roof from the ground
Grab binoculars and walk the perimeter. You’re looking for the obvious: missing or curled shingles, flashing that’s bent or pulled away, gutters sagging off the fascia, and dark streaks that weren’t there in spring. Don’t climb up to get a closer look — cold shingles are brittle, and a fall from a two-story eave is the most expensive roof problem there is. If something looks off from the ground, that’s the point where a professional eye earns its keep.
4. Check the attic, if you can get up there safely
The attic tells you what the roof won’t. On a bright day, look for daylight coming through the boards — that’s a gap, not a feature. Look for water stains on the underside of the decking, damp or compressed insulation, and any musty smell that wasn’t there before. Finding a stain in October is a repair; finding it in February, with snow on the roof, is an emergency call. One note: if your attic has vermiculite insulation, don’t disturb it — older vermiculite can contain asbestos, and that’s a different trade’s job.
5. Trim the branches back
Any limb touching or hanging over the roof is doing two kinds of damage: rubbing granules off the shingles in the wind, and waiting to break under ice load. Cut them back to at least six feet of clearance. This is also the season squirrels start looking for winter housing — an overhanging branch is their front porch, and they’ll find the smallest gap at the eave.
6. Look at the pipe boots and vents
Pipe boots are the number-one leak source we see, and fall is when the rubber collars show their age — cracked, split, or pulled away from the pipe after a summer of UV. You can spot a bad one with binoculars: look for a collar that’s visibly cracked or a pipe leaning at an angle. A boot repair is $395, $145 for each additional boot on the same visit — a straightforward repair to make before winter turns it into a ceiling repair.
7. Do it before the first hard freeze
Sealants don’t cure right below about 40°F, shingles don’t seal down, and nobody does their best work with numb fingers. Everything on this list gets harder and more expensive after the temperature drops for good. If you’re going to call someone, October is when you want them on the schedule — not the week of the first ice storm, when every roofer in three counties is booked.
What we do on a fall visit
We don’t sell a “fall tune-up package.” If something on this list looks wrong, contact us for a free repair estimate. We’ll review the issue and explain the next step. Any additional services require your agreement before work begins. There’s a $389 minimum on any repair visit. And if your roof is simply at the end of its life, we’ll document it with photos and point you to another contractor of your choice — we fix roofs, we don’t sell roofs, so there’s nothing in it for us to stretch a repair that won’t hold.
Tell us what’s happening with your roof. We’ll review the information and contact you about the next step.
FAQ
When should I clean my gutters in Michigan?
Late October into early November, after most of the leaves are down but before the first hard freeze. Clean too early and the late maples refill them; too late and you’re chipping ice out of the trough.
Can I do fall roof maintenance myself?
The ground-level parts, yes: gutters, downspouts, trimming branches, and a visual scan with binoculars. Don’t walk the roof yourself — it’s a fall risk, and foot traffic on cold shingles does more harm than good.
Does fall maintenance prevent ice dams?
It helps. Clear gutters and good attic airflow reduce the conditions ice dams need, but they can’t guarantee against them — ice dams are driven by heat escaping through the roof. If they form anyway, steam removal is the safe fix, never a hammer. Read more in our ice dam repair guide.
Metro Detroit Roof Repair — repairs only. Flat rates. Photo report every job. Service-area business across Wayne, Oakland & Macomb. Written warranty on every repair, issued on the final paid invoice after payment is paid in full and cleared.