By the year 2023, the residential roofing market in the United States is expected to reach over $14 billion.
There are a wide variety of roofing materials available to the average homeowner. The most popular are asphalt shingles.
Whether your home needs roof repair or a new roof, you’ll have important choices to make. A lot depends on budget, climate and what you want.
What signs should you be looking for when it comes to roof damage?
1. A Leaky Roof
The first and most obvious sign that a roof needs replaced or repaired is water leaking. When the roof begins to leak it can no longer protect the home against water damage. This is the main purpose of a roof, because encroaching water can lead to structural damage.
For a lot of homeowners, the first thing they notice isn’t a torrent of water falling from the ceiling. Discoloration on the floor tiles is one of the first signs most people report seeing. This often comes in the form of rust color or brown rings or patches.
If you’ve noticed any change in the condition of your ceiling or its coloration, there’s a good chance your roof is leaking. It is imperative that you act fast to limit the amount of damage done to the structure of your home.
2. Damaged Shingles
One of the best methods of roof maintenance to see if you need roof repair is a visual inspection. Walk around the house, checking it from every angle. Make sure that you can get a good view of the shingles.
You’re looking for discolored, cracked, chipped or otherwise damaged shingles. It is also possible that the damage will manifest as a sagging area of shingles. Another indicator is to check the ground around your home after a storm, you may find missing or broken shingles.
It can be difficult to tell if shingles are damaged or cracked. If you have any questions, you should contact a residential roof repair service. They can take a look and tell you whether or not you need to worry about damaged shingles.
3. Energy Bill Increase
On top of providing protection against moisture, a house’s roof helps keep warm and cold air out. If you notice that your energy bill is going up with no explanation, check your roof. During the winter a great deal of hot air can escape, and a lot of cold air will sink into the home.
This means your furnace will have to work harder to maintain the temperature you set it at. This in turn causes energy use to skyrocket, and the bill to go up. This is the same principle as having a water bill increase, and trying to find a leak, only it’s air that is leaking this time.
4. Chimneys and Skylights
Any time we put something through the roof we create a potential weakness in the coverage of the roof. This is true of skylights and chimneys, and the areas around them. If you notice cracking, discoloration, or debris building up here it is a sure sign of damage.
If these areas are damaged, they will require roof care. A roof care company will know how to repair the area around them, so there is no break in the seal. This will prevent water or air from escaping or entering the house.
5. Blistering or Peeling Paint
If you begin to notice that paint on the walls or ceiling is flaking away, you may be seeing water damage. As water invades through a damaged roof, moisture builds up in the walls. This humidity causes the paint to separate from the wood, creating blisters and peeling sections.
A lot of people are deceived by this occurrence because they’ll feel the area and won’t detect any wetness. The problem here is that it is water vapor and humidity that are causing the damage. There doesn’t have to be any dampness to the touch.
Corners where the walls and ceilings meet are common areas for this to occur. It is also possible that it happens in the middle of a wall and appears without warning. If you are starting to see cracking paint or blistering areas, it’s a good chance you need roof care.
6. Moss, Algae, and Mold
In high humidity areas, moss, algae, and mold can begin to grow. Besides health risks, seeing mold, algae, or moss growing in your home is a sure sign of water damage. Often the water will penetrate through the ceiling and then reach all the way down to the basement.
You might also see the growth starting around rafters and in the attic. It’s always a good idea to check on your attic at least a couple of times per year, this way nothing gets out of hand. The last thing you want is accumulating damage that you know nothing about.
7. Check the Gutters
A lot of people forget to check their gutters, but this is important. As a roof degrades, the asphalt shingles can begin to break apart. When they do this, small bits or granules will get left behind, and those will wash by rain and wind into the gutters.
Tiny bits of asphalt shingles are noticeable, they will appear like small rocks or sand. You might even notice that your gutters are getting clogged, as this particulate matter gets caught up on leaves and twigs. Either way, this is a clear sign that you need a residential roofing company to look at your roof.
Roof Repair and Your Home
Roof repair is no laughing matter. The roof is what keeps your home intact and safe. Anything that goes wrong with your roof can become a serious hazard in short order. Damage to walls, structural integrity, and the appearance of your home will all come hand in hand.
If you need roof repair in the Effingham, IL area, don’t worry. Contact Mid-State Construction and Roofing to take care of your roof. We are able to replace or repair the roof, whichever is most appropriate for you.