The entire house and the people living under the roof are protected by the rooftop entirely. This makes it important for us to keep an eye on the roof and look out for any sort of slight damage or unusual occurrence on the roof. The durability of the roof can be maintained by the roof repairs done by professionals. There is no need for us to scratch our heads and burden ourselves with the trouble of repairing the roof on our own.
What factors cause damage to your roof?
A roof is an integral part of a house or a building as it provides an enclosure that protects and ensures the safety of a home. Listed below are some common factors that can induce deterioration on the roof of your house:
Violent Atmospheric Disturbances
A roof, by its nature, is exposed to the wear and tear caused by weather agents. Storms and gusty winds can cause considerable damage to the shingles and ridge of the roof. The damage caused by storms is easily spotted by bald spots on the shingles or missing pieces on the ridge.
Age
The roof of your house may require repairs depending on its lifespan. If the top of the house is too old, it may need to be fixed. A metal roof of galvanized steel or aluminum lasts longer than one of shingles.
Snow or Hail
An ice build-up can cause damage to the roof, thereby requiring repairs. A snowstorm can result in enough snow build-up to generate an 'ice dam.' Another factor that affects the siding, ridge, and shingles of the roof is hail. Hail falls from the sky in sizes varying from a coin to a baseball ball which is obviously dangerous for the rooftops.
Torrential Rain
If you see wet and damp spots on your ceiling, that's a sign that your roof is damaged.
Heavy rains can cause water to percolate through the shingles into the underlayment resulting in a leaky roof or a damp inner ceiling.
Signs to look out for
The causes of roof damage can be multiple, so it's vital to know when the roof requires professional repairs. Here are some signs that indicate when your house needs a roof repair:
Damaged Ridge
A ridge is the top-most part of a roof where two planes meet. An impairment to the ridge of a roof is easy to spot. Cracks or missing pieces will do the trick. Strong winds or storms can cause damage to the ridge beam, thereby exposing the edges of the rafters (diagonal panes).
Curling Shingles
If the shingles on the roof of your house start to curl, that's your cue; it's time for a roof repair. The roof shingles should always be flat to serve as a proper barrier. There can be numerous reasons for the shingles to start curling. If the line of adhesive tar used isn't appropriate during the installation, then that might lead to the curling of shingles over time. Another reason can be that the roofer may not have used an adequate amount of nails per shingle while installing the roof. The top becomes more susceptible to rain and wind when shingles curl up.
Damaged Flashing
Flashing is generally seen around chimneys, skylights, and valleys, where two roof planes meet. This is necessary as it stops external elements from entering your home. When the flashing of the roof is compromised, then it causes a lot of problems, primarily leakages start to appear. These mostly get damaged during the winter season due to snow build-up. The snow wears down the area around the flashing, allowing water to seep in. Some signs of damage to the flashing are holes, cracks, and internal leakages.
Bald Spots on Roof
Bald spots on the upper layer of the roof, that is, the shingles, are a sign that the roof requires fixing. Even roofs that aren't made of shingles experience this problem. You can see a granule loss on roofs made of tiles where some parts may appear darker than others. Rough weather and age are responsible for this kind of erosion to the roof.
Additionally, the above mentioned are the points you need to understand in case you want to call for help for the roof repairs. There is always a chance for you to do a few simple DIY instead of spending much on repairing professionals. The only reason you should try a DIY is that you know what you are doing and hiring the professional would only add up the unnecessary costs.
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