If you live in an area that’s prone to storms, your roof could be suffering from damage that you can’t see from the ground. Many roofs, however, show clear signs of having been damaged in the event of a storm, some of which can be seen from right inside your home.
Roof leaks are common, and can be potentially serious. If you’ve experienced any of the 5 issues listed below,contact a local roofing companyto check your roof for leaks and/or repair any damage:
- Ice dams
Arguably the biggest cause of a leaking roof, ice dams form on the eaves of roofs made from traditional shingles, when snow that has fallen, begins to melt and then refreezes. Ice dams can quickly cause a build up of pressure on areas of a roof, and as the structure weakens, it’s increasingly likely to collapse. Keeping gutters unblocked can help prevent these dams from forming, but if you spot an ice dam on your roof, take immediate action and call your local roofing contractor.
- Prolonged, heavy rain
Rain that’s heavy enough and falls for long enough, can quickly cause problems for a shingle roof, especially if gutters are blocked or damaged in any way. When rain water can’t drain away sufficiently, or quickly enough, the build up of pressure can cause a leak, and there’s nothing worse than a leak in the middle of a rainstorm!
- High winds
During a period of windy weather – usually storm force – weak shingles can become dislodged, or in some cases, even blow away, especially if they were already damaged or old. Also, during a storm with high winds, debris can get lifted up and thrown onto your roof, and sometimes with enough force to cause significant damage.
- Poor workmanship when your roof was installed
If you chose a roofing company simply for the low prices they offered, or didn’t take the time to check their previous work, you might have fallen prey to an amateur roofing contractor. They may not have known what they were doing when they installed or repaired your roof, or simply rushed the job to take your money and make their way to the next unwitting victim. Either way, poor workmanship results in a lot of roof problems, especially leaks, and if you suspect a roofing company of having caused the damage on your roof, be sure not to hire them to carry out the repairs!
- Old age
No roof lasts forever, no matter how well it was installed or previously repaired, and an old roof that has been exposed to a variety of different or harsh weather conditions over the years, may spring a leak at some stage.
Regular roof inspections can help identify a leak before it becomes too big of a problem, but if you know you have a leak – irrespective of what caused it – you must get your roof repair done ASAP. Contact your local roofing company if you feel your roof may be damaged.
