A Roof is a tool to protect your home from outside conditions, which makes it inevitable to face wear and tear. The important part is to address these problems effectively to avoid unforeseen disasters. As simple as the problems may seem at the time of origination, they may become delicate over time. Thus, it is vital to both spot and address Roof Problems at an early stage to avoid extensive damage over time.
Whether roof problems are obvious or subtle, they could end up costing a fair amount and timelines to fix. To help you deal with the above, we have listed down some of the most common Residential Roofing problems and their prevention or cure measures.
Some of these problems are inevitable since your roof can only last so long against the harsh elements, and some are avoidable. Whatever the case maybe, it is important to examine your roof timely and identify these most common problems to be able to treat your Roof fairly and with utmost care it deserves.
Poor or Faulty Installation
Roof Installation is an important task as the protection of your home depends on it, thus must be dealt with utmost care and attention. There may be many manuals and user guides on how to install your roof, however a faulty installation of can dramatically increase the likelihood of problems and reduce its life expectancy.
Therefore, it is important to consider professional services to either install your roof or audit its installation and flashing to make sure your Roofing System is good to go.
Lack of Maintenance and Repairs
Roofing care doesn’t end on Installation and Efficient Maintenance is as important as Proper Installation. Since it helps prevent most problems and damages. Many problems start out as minor, such as the need to remove overhanging tree limbs, dealing with minor leaks, cleaning the water ponds after rain or cleaning backed up gutters. However, when not immediately dealt with, these problems can create serious damage. Therefore, routine inspection and maintenance can extend the life of your roof and also save you many dollars.
Lack of roof maintenance is probably a roof’s worst enemy and there are multiple things that could be done in order to lengthen the life of your roof. While inspecting roof for maintenance and making small repairs, one might make small additions or up gradations such as a new gutter system, replacement of lighting rods, etc. to help provide you with a safe and reliable roof for years to come. The best part is that it could be done by yourself and saves you a lot of time, money and major overhauls in future.
While doing it, it needs to be ensured that there is a major difference between Do-It-Yourself Maintenance and Unauthorized Repairs. One should consider expert opinion and/or Professional Services before considering major repair work so as to avoid worsening of problems and voiding of roof warranty.
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Needless to say, all roofs are subject to wear and tear and while preventive maintenance helps address problems related to this issue, it is not a bad idea consider switching to a different material if your roof is up for replacement. Timely replacement helps avoid major damages and disasters.
Improper Design
Roof is a backbone to the safety of your house and therefore, while considering installation of a new roof, it is important to focus on what suits best on your infrastructure. Improper Roof Design is like a cancer to a home, since even the best materials may not be able to protect your home from outside conditions if the design is not fit. It is therefore always recommended to invest in working with professional designers and roofing contractors before opting for a Roof Design.
Weather Conditions
Bad weather is like a parasite and your Roof deals with it for you. Storms and weather conditions can lead to problems that may cost you a fortune in repairs, as it may lead to damages that are difficult to identify and stop from penetration. And thus, before you know it – what seemed like a simple repair can turn into a very expensive project. The edges of a roof edges are always vulnerable to heavy storms and winds and thus subject to damage and blow off of sheets. The weather may also cause punctures and penetrations in the roofing material.
Regular inspections and timely repairs are, again, the ideal solution to avoid disasters. Experts and Professionals may also be able to suggest penetrative measures to avoid future problems. However, in any case, regular, timely and proper maintenance may help avoid major overhauls.
Roof Leaks and Moisture
Wind, rain, snow, ice, debris and what not! Your roof protects you from everything that’s outside and faces it all on it’s own. All of these lead to moisture getting under the layers of roof and causing it to leak. Leaks are a parasite that gets into just any type of roof and ultimately leads to extensive damage, if not taken care of immediately.
Dealing with leaks requires expert intervention to identify, inspect and reach to a proper solution. If it’s just a minor leak, a patchwork may suffice. Extensive leaks, however, may require a replacement of the affected sections.
Ponding Water
Water that ponds or stands on your roof is a sure sign of a problem and usually means your gutters are not functioning effectively. Ponding water is a matter of deep concern, as it not only becomes a breeding ground for pests, the additional weight of the water can impact the structural integrity of the building. Also, there are several health and hygiene concerns associated with this problem as the pests, insects and debris breeding may become infectious and spread diseases.
Common causes for Ponding Water include debris buildup and improper drainage of gutters, which unfortunately, usually remains unnoticeable until the damage worsens. The gutters blocking may also be a reason for damages to the walls of your house and spread maliciously, destroying the whole structure of your building.
A friendly recommendation and the only suitable problem for this issue would be to have your roof inspected after every major storm. The solution will then depend on the extent of the damage and the state of your gutters. Prevention is always better than cure and issues of this severity always need timely and professional solutions.
Trees
Trees, although surely improve the beauty of a place; however always require proper and timely maintenance. Overhanging tree limbs not only look unpleasant, but also cause damage to your house structure and ultimately roofs.
These cause roughening of surface, wearing away the protective top layers, structural damages when the branches fall and potential damage at the time of storms when trees become weak. Taking care of such may be a Do-It-Yourself task and so the tree limbs should be trimmed back away from the roof as much as possible to prevent the above listed.
Ventilation
Ventilation is an integral part of a Roofing System and is a “Must be” area at the time of installation. Normally, vents are placed at the base and near the top of the roof, to help the swift movement of the air. Adequate ventilation regulates temperature and moisture levels and so is important.
Since warm air naturally rises, no mechanical process is necessary to create this air movement. However, every thing has its costs, and thus if left unchecked, heat and moisture can build up causing damage to the property, hikes in energy costs, ugly molds and other problems. Taking care of such may be a Do-It-Yourself task but it is important to consider expert advice if one is unaware of the subject.