3 Common Roofing Problems and How to Fix Them
Your roof protects your home and everything inside it. But when your roof has problems, it may not be able to do its job as effectively. A roof that leaks or has damage puts the rest of your home and all its contents at risk of water damage and worse. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye on your roof. If you notice any of the most common roofing problems, take steps to fix them before there’s any more damage.
Damaged flashing
Flashing is an impenetrable material that is used to prevent water from infiltrating space between your roof and another object, such as the chimney or a skylight. But this flashing can separate from the roof or the other object and allow water to enter.
The best ways to identify flashing problems are to either:
- Go up on the roof and visually inspect the flashing for looseness, missing nails, corrosion, or wear
- Go into the attic and look for signs of leaks around chimneys, skylights, etc.
When you’re ready to fix a flashing problem, it tends to be pretty easy. Most flashing repairs consist of adding some screws and roofing cement. If there’s a hole, you may need to purchase some more flashing and secure it over the hole.
It is important to repair flashing damage as soon as it’s discovered because the leaks it can cause can be difficult to find and cause expensive repairs. You could end up paying for repairs to the roof as well as to the chimney, skylight, or other object the flashing is connected to.
Holes or punctures
Holes or punctures in your roof can result from a severe storm tossing tree limbs or other flying materials into it, among other things. Whether the hole is big or small, since a repair might take a few days or even weeks, you need to do immediate damage control.
Get a tarp that’s bigger than the hole, and stretch it over the roof. Place one side of the tarp over the roof’s ridge, then place several pieces of lumber over the tarp and secure them in place with nails. This will prevent rain from doing any more damage while you wait for repairs as well as keep out birds, bats and other critters that might find their way through an open hole.
But you’ll need roofing contractors to assess the damage to your roof. Depending on the size of the hole and the age of your roof, they may recommend repairing the damage or replacing the roof.
Hail damaged shingles
If you have asphalt shingles, hail damage is real cause for concern. The initial strike of the hailstone is capable of tearing or puncturing the shingles. But usually it just knocks some granules loose – which seems like no big deal. The problem is that those granules protect the shingle from UV rays. When granules are knocked off, the shingle beneath begins to sustain damage from the sun, which knocks more granules off and it just continues to grow.
If you suspect hail damage after a severe storm, it’s important to call a roofing contractor to come out and inspect the possible damage. They can also help you determine whether you can repair the roof or if it needs to be replaced.
Roofing problems can seem scary. It’s the roof of your home, keeping the people and property inside safe and dry. And there are lots of horror stories about the expense. But as long as you pay attention to signs of damage and get repairs made quickly, a roofing problem doesn’t have to be scary or expensive. It can be just another home maintenance task you’ve checked off your list.
