Not only that, but without proper installation, your roofing infrastructure could be doomed to fail right from the very beginning.
Whether you are buying a new property or protecting the longevity of your current investment, you’ll need a sound roofing system to keep moisture and other harmful elements out.
In this blog, we’ll investigate some things warning signals you can look out for that will let you know it’s time to call in a qualified roofing company.
Problems that Require Swift Roofing-Repairs
While performing regular maintenance inspections is the best way to ensure your roof reaches its manufacturer’s lifespan, there will always be unknowable factors that can play into its health. For example, it can be challenging to predict the weather and where trees might fall during periods of high winds and rain.
Sometimes even the best installed and most well-maintained roofs meet an untimely demise. Is your roof one of them?
Here are some key signs our roof needs repairs now:
Leaks
No matter how they come about, roof leaks are a bad sign.
From missing shingles to punctures to blocked gutters to HVAC equipment causing problems, there are many ways to find yourself dealing with water damage and the potential for harmful mold growth.
You may have only noticed your roof is leaking when your ceiling starts to sag and stain, meaning the water has made its way in deep and may have damaged some of the critical elements that keep the entirety of your roofing system intact.
While not always evident and easy to spot, regularly checking for leaks is vital to ensure your home is getting the protection it deserves.
Here are some areas we recommend inspecting if you suspect your roof might be leaking:
- If you can safely access your attic, you can check it for signs of leaks and accumulating water. The idea is to look for dark spots, signs of mold growth, and soggy insulation.
- Atop your roof, you may spot missing or broken roofing materials. These are ideal places for leaks to start.
- If there are HVAC components, solar panels, or other equipment on your roof, check around these to see if the nails or other materials used to hold them in place have penetrated your roof and contributed to a leak.
- Check vents and fans for signs of improper installation, broken or damaged components, and visible water penetration.
- Check skylight flashing to ensure a proper seal has been made to keep water out.
- Investigate chimney flashings to see if the water source originates there.
Remember to take safety precautions when investigating your attic or climbing a ladder to access your roof.
If you are not comfortable performing these checks yourself, we recommend hiring licensed, local roofers with a solid background in performing thorough roofing inspections.
Broken and Missing Shingles
If you’ve found a few rogue shingles in your yard after strong winds, there’s a good chance their absence could be the culprit behind your roof troubles.
Once shingles have been lifted, warped, or blown off completely, your roofing infrastructure is exposed to the elements until you can complete repair work.
Faulty Flashings
If you’re not familiar with the term flashing, it might be challenging to understand the pivotal role they play in the longevity of a roof.
Essentially, flashing is a thin metal that is used to help direct moisture away from specific areas such as:
- Chimneys
- Walls
- Valleys on your roof
- Meeting areas between sidewalls
- Skylights
- And more!
Missing, improperly installed, and broken flashing are invitations for water to find its way into your home. If you suspect your flashing may not be up to par, a certified roofer can fix the problem fast.
Since problems with leaking flashing don’t just go away by themselves, we recommend calling an experienced flashing repair roofer as soon as possible.
A Clogged or Malfunctioning Gutter System
It’s not always evident how crucial a working guttering system is to a healthy and long-lasting roof. However, when you look at what your gutter’s job is, you can start to see that your home would be exposed to high volumes of water without gutters, leading to a host of preventable problems down the road.
Blocked gutters make it impossible for water to be redirected away from your home.
When this happens, overflowing gutters can cause water to trickle down the siding and into your foundation.
Since foundation cracks due to water damage cause a whole host of additional headaches, your best bet is to ensure your gutters are installed correctly and that the system is ready to handle whatever the rains will bring.
Rotting Soffits and Fascia
Soffits and fascia are designed to protect the inner elements of your roofing system from elements like wind, rain, snow, sun, insects, animals, mold, and rot.
When improper materials are used, or installation is not quite right, what could be a solid and long-lasting roof can start to experience more and more trouble that can snowball out of control quickly.
Suppose you are not entirely sure how to inspect fascia and soffits yourself. In that case, we advise bringing in a qualified roofing contractor to ensure all inspection and repair work meets our local building and safety codes.
Weather Damage
We’ve talked a lot about how water can mess up what looks like a perfectly good roof. Now it’s time to focus on other types of weather like extreme dry heat and hail.
Depending on the size and intensity of the hailstorm, you face some significant potential for wrecked roofing materials.
When it’s safe to do so, we recommend investigating your roof for signs of distress and making the necessary repairs right away.
In cases where extreme heat and temperature fluctuations are causing your roofing materials to expand and contract, it’s vital to perform maintenance checks to ensure your roof is still up to par. When roofing materials rub together during expansion and contraction, there is always the potential for damage.
It’s good to have a roofing contractor perform a maintenance inspection after your roof experiences an extreme weather event.
Doing so could make the difference between you paying for simple repairs and forking out the expense to replace the entire roof and remediate water damage.
Conclusion
Affordable Roofing Solutions are Only One Phone Call Away
While many home maintenance jobs are well within your abilities, handling major problems with your roof may require the assistance of seasoned roofing contractors.
Now that you know what to look for, you should be able to determine when it’s worth the investment to call in a reliable roofing company.
Reliable Roofers & Company is always here to ensure you get the best value for your hard-earned dollar. Connect with us by dialing (203) 951-1182 for the answers to any questions you may have.
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