Roofs are susceptible to many different types of damage. Some are more obvious than others. Don’t wait until you have a huge problem on your hands before noticing what went wrong. Take a look at these ten tips and make sure your roof is not in danger!
1. Trees are usually the most obvious problem. Examine your yard and make sure there are no large, dead trees close enough to hit your home. Not only is a falling tree going to cause extreme damage to your roof, and possibly structure of your home, but is dangerous to whoever is inside the home.
2. Trees can cause damage not just by falling on to the roof. If you have trees that are taller than your roof, the debris from them can create havoc. Having a constant pile of leaves on the roof can cause water to accumulate, leading to rotten shingles and clogged gutters.
3. Animals can also cause a lot of damage to a roof. Wood peckers, nesting birds, squirrels, raccoons, mice and bats can all work at pulling apart your roof. Wood peckers will look for insects under shingles and in rotting fascia boards while raccoons will pull off vent covers or tear off shingles searching for an entrance.
4. Gutters are supposed to direct water off the roof and away from the house. If those gutters are clogged and water accumulates, it can lead to rotten shingles.
5. Wind can lift shingles and even minor damage can become a big problem if rain seeps in and leaks through the ceiling or down the walls. Sometimes you may notice a stray shingle or piece of shingle on the ground after a storm.
6. Hail can damage the protective mineral coating on asphalt shingles, leaving bare spots. This exposes the shingle to other forms of damage such as moisture and UV rays. Excessive hail damage can shorten the life span of a roof.
7. Ice can create problems for a roof. Ice can freeze along the eves causing snow to back up. As freezing and thawing lifts the shingles, melting ice and snow can leak into your home.
8. Roof flashing around chimneys, vents and along the edge of a roof are designed to keep water out but if the flashing is damaged it can let water seep underneath causing rot or leaks to the interior of your home. The roofing compound that seals the flashing down can also dry out and come loose causing water damage.
9. The sun’s UV rays play a big part in the life span of a roof. Over time shingles can dry out and crack. They can actually fall off the roof leaving sections with little or no protection. UV damage is just a part of aging for a roof but is also a sign that a roof may need replacing.
10. While all of these problems can cause damage to a roof, they have one thing in common. They can let moisture in and moisture is the number one culprit when it comes to harming your roof. Take care of all the other problems as they happen and you can prevent water from destroying your roof.
Is your roof suffering from one of these problems? Call your local, NJ roofing expert today and get these problems fixed before they become worse.