Depending on the roofing materials and the part of the country you live in, a properly installed and well-maintained roof should last you twenty to fifty years. The key is “well-maintained.” Hold fast to your roof’s maximum lifetime by monitoring, identifying, and repairing any roofing issues that arise.
Check out these top ten roofing issues you might have.
Improper Roof Material Installation
Your roof may look amazing, but that doesn’t guarantee that it was properly installed. Adhesion problems can arise if the stripped roof wasn’t dried, cleaned, and primed properly. Also, different roofing materials require specific preparations and installation techniques to ensure durability. Problems will likely arise well within the roofing lifetime if it has not been properly installed by experienced roofers.
Improper Flashing Installation
Flashing is installed to seal a space where the roof has been penetrated, such as for furnace vents, chimneys, and skylights. If not installed properly, moisture can seep through and cause damage to the underlying materials.
Attic Leaks
Roofs are meant to keep water out of your house, so leaks mean that your roof isn’t doing its job. Leaks may be due to bad flashing or improper installation, but other events can cause the same problem. Hard weather like hurricane winds can loosen shingles or tiles, or heavy snow can weigh upon the underlying structure.
Still Waters
Low-slope roofs may have dips where moisture lingers. Leaf debris can dam up behind chimneys and retain moisture, risking the possibility that water will seep through to cause rot or mold. Clogged gutters can also fill, freeze, and pull on the roofing materials.
Pokes, Punctures, And Pulls
Small punctures or cuts in the roof can cause trouble. Just walking on the roof can cause dents and damage. Hail can also cause roof damage, as can flying debris in high winds, so stay particularly alert to the condition of your roof after hurricane, nor’easter, or tornado-type weather.
Tree Damage
Pruning back overhanging tree branches is always a good idea. Proximity means that the chance of a tree or large branch falling directly upon your roof is high. And if the branches are so close that they touch the roofing materials, then even a light wind can cause abrasions.
Ventilation
Roofs need to “breathe” so that moisture doesn’t get trapped in a closed space, encouraging rot and the growth of mold and mildew. Ventilation is usually installed by the eaves as well as the top ridge to encourage the escape of rising warm air and the drawing in of cooler air.
Gnawing Pests
Since your attic is warm and dry and infrequently accessed, birds and bats, squirrels and rats, wasps and termites would love to live there. It’s best to evict them as soon as you become aware of their presence to minimize the destruction.
Splitting, Blistering, Shrinking
In extreme weather areas, the aging materials underlying the roofing tiles or shingles may shrink and pull causing blistering or splitting, which will manifest as leaks in wet weather.
Failure To Maintain
The primary cause of major roof problems may be benign neglect. Taking care of minor issues, like clogged gutters, replacing a lost shingle, removing large debris, and expelling rodents, can prevent a small issue from becoming a costly one.
A roof should be checked at least once a year. If you suspect you may have a roofing problem or would like a thorough inspection, call in a licensed roofing expert.
If you’re in the Bucks County area and want to speak with our roofing experts, give us a call today (215) 338-5956.