The idiom “keeping a roof over your head” becomes more significant when you think about the many benefits you get to enjoy by having proper and durable roofing on your house. When it comes to home repairs, maintaining a solid roof should be at the top of the list. One of the main reasons why Deptford Township roofing and siding contractors consider proper roof repair and maintenance important is because of its ability to keep the interior of your home dry and warm and to protect it from various elements.
When you find signs of damage or wear on your roofing, you need to act immediately and perform the necessary repairs to prevent the permeation of water, which can cause the wood sheathing to rot. If you ignore a warning sign because it’s too small, the problem is most likely to worsen, leaving you with no option but to get a new roof, which will cost you a fortune. To prevent roof damage, you should first learn about its causes.
Causes of Roof Damage
Some of the main causes of roof damage include the following:
- Missing shingles: No matter what shingle material you choose, shingles are likely to be lifted up and blown away by high winds. Though shingles made of lightweight materials are more prone to this damage, Deptford Township roofing and siding contractors mention that even heavier ones such as asphalt shingles are known to have been blown away by the wind. When this happens, your roof becomes exposed to many harmful elements.
- Low slope: Low-sloped roofs or those with insufficient roof pitch are prone to get damaged by the wind. Also, such roofs do not do a great job at discharging rainwater.
- Corroded or bad pipe flashing: The vent pipe flashing on your roof can get corroded due to a number of different factors, or over time, and tends to allow water into the interior.
- Chimney flashing: When high winds pull the chimney flashing away from the roof, it is likely to leak.
- Ice dam: Ice buildup on your roof caused by excessive snow can lead to water damage if it starts leaking inside through the roof. Ice dams also tend to refreeze, forming thick walls and preventing runoff.
If you notice any of these kinds of damage to your roof, have the problem fixed by expert Deptford Township roofing and siding contractors immediately.
Roof Leaks and Repairs
Most of the signs discussed above often lead to leaks in your roof. When your roof is leaking, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are facing a huge problem that can be rectified only by a professional. Deptford Township roofing and siding contractors suggest that you can fix the most common roof leaks by yourself. Here are some types of damage that lead to leaks and their solutions:
- Clogged gutters: As Deptford Township roofing and siding contractors always emphasize, having clogged gutters is the most commonly encountered problem in households all across the country. When your gutter is clogged, it prevents runoff, which leads to water stagnation on the roof and eventually leaking through the roof.
Solution: The only effective solution to prevent gutters from clogging is to clean them regularly and keep them free of leaves, branches, and other debris.
- Broken shingles: Shingles tend to break or get blown away by high winds. This can be easily diagnosed by checking your roof periodically for patches caused by missing shingles. Also, after strong winds or storms, you should be able to spot shingle debris around your house.
Solution: When you find missing or broken shingles on your roof, lift them up using a pry bar and remove all the broken shingles and existing nails. Replace the shingles and use new nails to set them in place.
- Ice dams: While water leaking through the roof is one problem caused by melted snow, formation of ice dams is another major problem that can damage your roof to a great extent due to its weight.
Solution: Use a roof rake to remove snow from the edge of your roof up to a few feet. If you spot the ice dam, get an ice melting compound, like magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium chloride, etc., and apply it on the ice dam, following the manufacturer’s instructions. To prevent the formation of ice dams in the future, install roof heating cable or other ice melting systems on your roof.
All you need to do to prevent costly roof repair or replacement is to follow these simple procedures and prevent roof leaks and damage.