Many people take the roof over their heads for granted, that is until it starts to leak. However, if you decide to make a regular roof inspection an important part of home maintenance, serious roofing difficulties can be prevented. It is not necessary to climb onto the roof to inspect it. You can check on its condition by simply walking around your house, and looking for signs that your shingles are becoming worn or damaged, and perhaps replacing them will soon become necessary. When inspecting your roof, it is important to check the ground as well. Watch out for granules or shingles that have fallen from the roof.
Missing granules
After a heavy rain, you might notice that there are a lot of roof granules on the ground. This could mean that your shingles are beginning to wear out. On the other hand, if there is a combination of granules and pieces of shingles, this is a sure sign that your roof is damaged. In either case, it is time to climb up to investigate what has fallen into the eavestroughs. Perhaps you will also find an abundance of granules there as well. The more granules that have disappeared from the shingles, the more apt you will be to notice streaks.
Dark streaks
As granules start washing off the roofs shingles, dark streaks begin to appear. Likely, if you step back and take a good look at your roof, using binoculars if you have a pair, you will be able to analyze the streaks, if there are any. Small dark streak indicate your roof is in the early stages of a problem. However, if you observe a large House Roof Pop Design number of dark streaks, it may be time to replace your shingles. When there aren’t sufficient granules on the shingles, they are no longer able to repel water. This will cause them to harden and curl. A roof that cannot repel water will become water logged when it rains. Eventually water will appear in the interior of the house.
Shingles that can no longer repel rain, as a result of curling and buckling, are also susceptible to the other elements. They can be dislodged during strong winds. Furthermore, during the winter ice can form beneath them. It would be unwise to ignore these problems because eventually the roof will leak and could cause damage to the interior of your house.
Broken shingles Waterproofing Union Jobs
It is relatively easy to spot broken shingles on a roof. If shingles are broken or completely missing, immediate replacement is necessary. Replacement is absolutely necessary because water is entering the house through this unprotected area. If they are not replaced interior damage is inevitable, or may already be occurring.
Mossy shingles
If your house has wooden shingles, and you see moss growing on the roof, this is a sure tell sign that the shingles are damaged. The roof is no longer repelling water, and is instead absorbing the water. This has created a continually wet environment. The wooden shingles ought to be replaced with asphalt shingles at some point in the near future.
Call a roofing expert
After your roof inspection, if you suspect damage, call several roofing contractors.
One contractor may advice the replacement of the entire roof. However, it is possible that another will suggest a simple patch up job. Ask each one to give you a written estimate on the work required. Ask for references. Ask about warranties. It is not necessarily wise to go with the least expensive alternative. When choosing a roofing contract take years of experience and reputation into consideration. The value of your home is at stake.
