Homeowners should never put off needed roofing repair, as even the smallest cracks and water damage tend to get larger and more expensive to fix over time. Your home’s roof is also a vital part of the interior insulation, so holes and other such damage waste your heating and cooling while often allowing for an uncomfortable environment.
While prompt and professional roofing is important for your home and your comfort levels, homeowners often overlook some common signs of needed repairs or roof replacement. To ensure you always keep your home’s roof in good repair and can even budget for an upcoming roof replacement as needed, consider why homeowners often overlook signs of wear and damage. Be sure to discuss the condition of your home’s roof with a roofing contractor as well, as they might perform an inspection and make other recommendations as needed.
Signs of Needed Roofing Repair Happen Inside the Home!
One reason that homeowners might overlook signs of needed Fort Collins roofingrepairs is that a home’s roof affects its interior environment, as said. However, some homeowners might not connect the condition of a home’s interior rooms with the condition of their roof!
As an example of how poor-quality roofing in affects your home’s interior, tears and holes in the roof allow in outside cold during wintertime. As heat rises, those holes also allow out your forced air heat. In turn, your home might seem drafty and cold during winter months no matter how high you set the thermostat.
Homeowners might not realize that holes in the roof lead to drafts in interior rooms, so they might assume they need to put plastic sheeting over the windows, install a larger furnace, or other such fixes. A roofing inspection in can alert you to needed repairs along the roof’s surface or other areas; patching holes and replacing worn or missing shingles then keeps your home insulated and comfortable year-round!
When Your Roofing is Covered in Dirt and Grime
Homeowners can often note missing shingles, worn areas of the roof, and other signs of needed repair even from the sidewalk or across the street from their home. Uneven or sagging areas of the roof might even indicate serious damage to the rafters and joists under those shingles, signaling the need for immediate repairs.
However, it’s difficult to note this damage if the roof is covered in layers of dirt and grime! If you’ve never had professional power washing for your roofing, you might be surprised at how much dirt, soot, storm debris, and other residues they wash away, and at the difference in the appearance of your home’s roof before and after this work.
Roof washing also helps keep the roof in good repair, removing mold, algae, drying soot, and other damaging residues. You might even consider a roof inspection for a home right after a thorough power washing, to note the current condition of the roof and any needed repairs.
Even New and Durable Roofing Might Need Repairs!
Another reason homeowners often overlook the need for roofing repairs is that their home’s roof is relatively new, or they invested in the highest-quality shingles or a durable metal roof. It is true that newer roofs and especially those comprised of the best materials tend to last far longer than roofs with low-quality shingles, and older roofs suffer holes and lost shingles simply due to wear and tear.
It’s vital to note that age is not the only reason for needing roofing repairs! Heavy storms, hail, fallen tree branches, high winds, ice dams, and other such issues can damage even the newest and strongest roof; even a durable metal roof can blow off in a severe thunderstorm or suffer dents under heavy hail.
Improper or low-quality roofing installation on a home also affects the condition of a roof no matter its age or durability of materials. If a roofer uses poor-quality nails and other fasteners or rushes through the job without ensuring a quality installation, those shingles might be more prone to flying away or allowing water to seep into the nooks and crannies of a roof, causing damage.
Intact Shingles Don’t Mean Quality Roofing Shingles!
It’s vital that homeowners realize that intact shingles don’t necessarily indicate the home’s roof is in good repair. Torn shingles, shingles missing their granules or that have become thin over time, or shingles dented in a storm need replacing, to ensure your roofing is protected and in good repair. Never assume that your roof is in good condition if you don’t see missing shingles or “bald” areas, as those shingles might be overly thin or just about ready to fly away in the next storm!
Shingles Aren’t the Only Part of Roofing in Need of Repairs
One last reason that many homeowners put off calling a roofing contractor is that they assume shingles in good repair means their roof is in good repair! Shingles and other visible parts of a roof are vital components and do indicate the roof’s overall structure and stability, but there are many other roofing materials that wear down, suffer holes and other damage, and need repair over the years.
As one example, you might notice pieces of metal between shingles and the home’s chimney stack. That metal is called flashing, and it helps provide a watertight seal along that gap and other such nooks and crannies of a roof. Torn or bent flashing allows water to seep into those areas, damaging the roofing structure and other parts of the roof and home itself.
To ensure you don’t overlook any need for roofing repairs, have the home’s roof inspected at least every two to three years, if not annually, and especially after a heavy storm. It’s also vital to arrange for a roofing inspection if you notice any of these signs of needed repairs! Your home will then be protected from water leaks and resultant mold and your home’s interior will always be comfortable year-round.
