Your home’s roof is easily one of its most important features. By dealing with roofing damage early enough you can save yourself thousands of dollars in the future by mitigating the injury to your home. Learn more about eight of the most common causes of roofing damage to prepare yourself and be ready to enlist the help of a roofing professional if necessary.
#1: Improper Installation
Many roof repairs come as a result of poor installation. It is easy to think that, as homeowners, we can patch up small fixes, leaks or wear by ourselves, but we could be risking the integrity of our structure without prior professional knowledge. We don’t know enough to determine whether or not we’re missing any underlying problem which could be exacerbated by our efforts to fix another issue. Prevent this by enlisting the help of a professional when dealing with any matters related to your roof. An expert will be able to scope out your roof and fix it up without any problem.
#2: Standing or Walking on Your Roof
This one might seem obvious but many homeowners are guilty of this. If it isn’t necessary you should avoid going up onto your roof altogether but, if need be, ensure that the footwear you use is soft with high-traction to avoid damaging your roof further and securing your own well-being.
#3: Wind or Storm Damage
Easily one of the most common causes of roofing damage, high winds from storms can result in lifted shingles and injury from fallen objects (like trees). The damage resulting from wind or storms can be significant so it is always important to ensure that the material that your roofing uses is sound and can withstand this kind of risk. Ask a roofing professional for advice on what materials may be best.
#4: Age
Over time, your roofing will begin to age. As this is inevitable, it is important that you schedule regular roofing assessment by a professional to carry out inspections to determine whether your roofing material needs replacement or maintenance. Some roofing materials age better than others so you should discuss with a professional about what materials may work best for your home.
#5: General Lack of Roof Maintenance
This ties in with age, but even newer roofs may require maintenance in order to ensure they’re up to par. This is especially important if you have recently experienced a natural disaster such as high winds, hail or a particularly nasty storm. There may be issues or damages to your roofing that you were not aware of before. Look after your roof by performing regular inspections and having a roofing professional look after minor fixes and repairs if necessary.
#6: Cold Damage
The cold comes with all kinds of hazards that can damage our roofs, including: freezing rain, snowfall, high humidity, and more. Cold snaps or sudden drops in temperature also risk damaging our roofs because they may freeze water between roof materials suddenly and cause rifts or breakage. If you live in an area that often sees very low temperatures be sure to regularly inspect the wellbeing of your roof. Also, if you have just experienced a large storm, you may want to contact a professional about doing maintenance.
#7: Heat Fluctuations
UV light and extreme heat during the summer months can cause damage to our roofing. Overtime, extreme heat can take a toll on the wellbeing of our roofing materials. To mitigate this risk, be sure that your attic is well insulated and look into the potential of implementing a radiant guard on the ceiling if you live in an area that often sees high temperatures. Additionally, a roofing professional may be able to offer some recommendations if need be.
#8: Hail Damage
Some areas are more exposed to this damage than other areas but it is important to know how hail damage can cause significant injury to our roofing – which can result in some potentially lofty costs. Small hail can disturb the granules on the surface of our roof’s shingles, which expose the asphalt layer of these materials to the sun. Moreover, larger hail can move our shingles altogether. Ensure that you perform a roof inspection following a hailstorm event.
If your roofing is damaged…
If you think your roofing has been damaged for any number of reasons or have suspicions that it may need repairs, not to worry. Contact your local roofing company for help; they can offer you advice, assistance with repairs, or even just perform a roof inspection if you think a recent event may have caused damage or that your roofing is starting to wear with age.
It is always better to look after your roof if you suspect there has been damage sooner rather than later. Damage can worsen over time, leading to more costly repairs if you don’t deal with the issue as soon as possible.
