There is no such thing as an invincible roof! One of the most critical aspects of your home is its roof. It acts as a barrier, protecting you, your home, and your personal belongings from severe weather.
The roofs that cover your houses will spend their whole working life outside. Thus, they will be subjected to various external factors.
Let’s face it. You’ll have residential roofing issues at some point in life.
Some problems are simply repairable. Others may necessitate a total roof replacement.
What causes damage to residential roofing? Continue reading to know the most prevalent causes of roof damage. In this manner, you can avoid future harm or damage from occurring at all.
1. Snow and Ice
If you live in a cold area, you may be worried about snow and ice destruction to your residential roofing. Snow usually melts off your roof without an issue. But because snow continuously uncovers your roof to moisture, undetected leaks may worsen.
You might end up with a massive mess on your hands during the spring melt. Ensure there’s residential roof maintenance before winter arrives to avoid water damage from snow.
How Ice Dams Causes Roof Damage
Ice dams are another threat to your roofing throughout the winter. These are ice buildups that frequently form on the edges of a residential flat roof and can overflow into gutters.
It is a frequent misunderstanding that you may resolve ice dams by repairing the shingle beneath them. Although you may repair shingles, they do not address the root cause of the ice dam.
Ice dams form when moisture and heat from your house are unable to leave the attic. The roof is scorching without sufficient ventilation.
Snow falls on the roof and melts. This causes water to run down the roof. Before entering the gutters, the water freezes on the cooler area of the roof.
The accumulation of ice can exert pressure on the tiles and possibly push beneath the shingle sealant.
A properly placed ice and water protector can prevent water from entering your attic due to ice dams. But it can’t stop the formation of ice dams. If ice dams form in your roof, see a roofing specialist to help ensure appropriate attic insulation and roof ventilation.
Snow Weight
After a heavy snowfall, the sheer mass of the snow on your residential flat roof may be a cause for concern. Contractors build residential rooftops to support a certain amount of weight. The building codes determine the precise weight your roof can hold.
You need to know that the weight of snow varies.
One foot of snow may weigh anything from 3 to 21 pounds. You can determine this by the amount of moisture in the snow. But it varies depending on humidity, height, environment, and many other factors.
It is essential to check your local meteorological authority to determine how much snow may be on your roof.
2. Wind
Wind destruction to residential roofing is probable in severe storms. Strong winds can knock shingles off your roof. This renders them incapable of sheltering your house from rain.
Wind can still be an issue shortly after roof construction. This is before the shingles’ glue has dried in the sunshine.
Also, even after the glue has dried, strong windstorms such as tornadoes and hurricanes may still be a problem. These storms are capable of ripping shingles off roofs.
Further, they cause wind-driven rain. This might force moisture under the shingles, causing an issue even long after the storm.
It might be difficult to determine if a shingle was blown by the wind or by something else. This may happen if a shingle gets off from an old roof.
Seek a professional roofer to inspect any roof with lost shingles. They might tell you whether or not wind was to cause.
3. Poor Installation
Roofs require regular care. It’s critical to inspect for cracks or leaks, particularly after the hard winter weather has subsided.
If a problem arises, homeowners should always speak with a professional roofer. This is to ensure that you address any damage as soon as possible.
If you want residential roof repair, have a qualified specialist to check it. The sooner damage is detected; the sooner potential you can avoid issues.
4. Lack of Proper Residential Roof Maintenance
Keeping up with maintenance is critical to the longevity and health of your roof. This is when an inspection becomes helpful.
You should inspect your roof once a year. This is despite if you have experienced any destruction to your roofs or not.
Minor fixes will have a significant effect. A minor leak might quickly become a major issue. You will see more damage if the water begins to seep through the roof.
Maintain clean gutters, and get the roof cleaned. Also, have it checked regularly.
After a storm, you must inspect the damage. It is preferable to pay a modest sum for repairs rather than replacing your whole roof and maybe the materials of your house.
5. Algae
Algae may grow on your rooftop during humid, warm summers. Blue-green algae will take advantage of damp and warm conditions on your roof if possible. Roof diseases have now spread across America and Canada.
Algae are only a cosmetic concern. It doesn’t affect the operation of your roof. It leaves behind dark streaks that stain your shingles. These might affect your property’s curb appeal.
This development can be challenging to regulate. This happens if you don’t replace shingles. Thus, it is vital to avoid it.
You can incorporate IKO’s shingles into colorfast blue-green algae-resistant granules. These granules include copper, which allows your shingles to look appealing. This is because it makes the roofs to be less habitable to algae.
6. Trees
Falling branches and leaves can damage your roof. Leaves, needles, and other tree debris can block gutters. Also, if left on your rooftop, they hold moisture and cause damage.
If the wind blows overgrown branches against the roof’s surface, they can scratch the tiles. Some tree species may potentially produce resin and sap on your roof.
These chemicals have the potential to weaken asphalt. In severe circumstances, they make shingles blister.
A falling tree can cause damage to your roof and other parts of your property.
Ensure there is frequent pruning, leaf removal, and health checks by a trained arborist. These strategies can help to safeguard your roof from tree damage.
Need an Expert to Combat Your Residential Roofing Greatest Enemy?
Anybody who is not certified to work at heights should never attempt to repair leaks on their own roof.
This has the potential to cause more roof damage, and it’s extremely hazardous. It may also disqualify you from getting any insurance compensation.
We advise all homeowners and householders to avoid any potential flaws by contacting residential roofing services.
Contact us at Mid-State Construction & Roofing, Inc. for a free quote and get those repairs completed before it’s too late.