Recognizing Different Types of Roof Damage

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Recognizing Different Types of Roof Damage

If you live in a house, you probably already know that tending to roof damage remains a key element in keeping your house in shape. It doesn’t matter whether you’re doing regular maintenance or actual damage reparation. Either way, if you don’t do it on time, a lot of things can go wrong. 

When you don’t handle roof damage, it goes from bad to worse really fast. What should have been a routine repair or overhaul can easily turn into roof repair and mold removal, beam replacement, etc.

In order to handle roof damage quickly and effectively, you need to be able to detect what kind of damage it is, as well as how severe it is. Knowing what you’re dealing with would help you plan your actions. 

Additionally, it will point the contractors in the right direction when they come in to do repairs. 

Pest Damage

Pests remain the most underrated form of roof damage, but they are definitely not harmless. Rodents can chew through shingles pretty easily. They usually chew through the roof in order to get to the attic. Before you know it, you have a leaky roof full of holes, as well as an attic full of rats.

Because it’s not instantly noticeable, pest roof damage can easily go unattended for a long time. 

If you have tree branches touching your roof, you should take precautions. Either trim the branches or check your attic regularly. Look for animal droppings, rodents, or chewed up cardboard and fabric. In case you find any of these, your next step should be a detailed roof inspection.

Hail Damage

In Florida, you’re no stranger to strong winds, nasty weather and the occasional hailstorm. Unfortunately, hail can lead to significant roof damage very quickly.

Most roofs can withstand strong hailstorms, and they only suffer minor damage. However, each storm wears the shingles out bit by bit. While the damaged shingles may still protect the roof to an extent, eventually they become vulnerable to mold and moisture. In addition, not replacing damaged shingles will cause them to break down, leaving holes in your roof.

Aside from shingle wear, hail can also easily shred your gutters to pieces, as well as damage to your flashing. If it goes through a hole in the roof, the hole could expand faster than usual and structural beams may be compromised. We suggest you inspect your roof after each and every hailstorm.

Leaks and Moisture

Most of the leakage is caused by rain and leaks in the roof. If you leave a leaky roof unattended for too long, you will eventually see damage on your walls and ceilings. Unfortunately, that’s mostly a sign that it’s too late to minimize the damage. Moisture can rot out your wooden beams quite fast, and you’ll need to remodel at least half of your house.

In addition to leaky roofs, moisture roof damage can also be caused by roof moss. Moss absorbs and retains moisture from the rain. All that moisture gets transferred to the roof, where it can cause the most damage.

Damaged Flashing

If you look closely, you will see that every joint on your roof is covered with a sheet of material (usually metal) called flashing. It’s typically made of aluminum, but it can also be from galvanized steel as well as other materials. If it weren’t for the flashing, all those wooden joints would be vulnerable to water damage.

The flashing has to be replaced every once in a while, just like the roof does. The exact lifetime of your flashing depends on the weather conditions and how well you maintain the rest of the roof. 

Pinhole-sized punctures are a clear sign that your flashing is damaged. If you happen to see these tiny holes on your flashing, you should replace it in order to avoid further roof damage.

Conclusion

Whatever type of roof damage you have, the most important thing you should do is call the roofing contractors immediately. In the long run, if you do regular roof inspections, you’ll save yourself an enormous amount of money, time, and stress.