The Beginner’s Guide to Roof Problems

20.12.2018 HOME IMPROVEMENT 5.0 0

roof maintenance

Houses require a lot of attention on an almost daily basis. In an effort to save some time and money, homeowners tend to neglect that which seems out of sight - the roof. They usually clear the leaves out of the gutter and think they are done for the year.

However, roof maintenance takes a lot more than that. If it’s not maintained regularly, it poses both a physical and a financial risk. Problems on the roof that aren’t detected on time and left untreated can cause sizeable damage to the property. Here is a short guide to what you need to pay attention to.

Pay Attention to the Warning Signs

Your roof is an integral part in keeping you safe from the outside, so when it’s damaged, your home is at its most vulnerable. That is precisely why you need to take care of every problem on time, even if it seems trivial. Before the situation becomes really bad, there are usually warning signs like some loose flashing or rusting sheets. Pay attention to these details because they are often symptoms of something much worse. For example, when water builds up on your rooftop with nowhere to go, that will not only cause some minor leaks, but it could potentially weaken the support beams. This is called ponding and it typically happens on flatter roofs. Then there are rust spots. These usually happen if you don’t have the most modern roofing materials and can cause wind damage among other things. Another red flag is if you find gaps in the flashing. They are dangerous especially during heavy rain or snowfall and strong winds. It is important to do regular inspections and find these gaps before you let your roof succumb to harsh weather.

No Job Is Too Small to Require a Professional

There are things you can fix on your own, but there are many problems that are not only hard to fix but hard to detect by non-professionals. So before you let your roof damage slowly grow and become worse over time, call in some help. If you live in a place like Australia and think that you are safer than the rest of the world because you don’t get snow, you are wrong. Even sunlight can cause damage to your roof. There are no jobs that are too small so don’t be afraid to make inquiries. There is some extremely professional gutter replacement in Perth, for instance, because regardless of lack of snow, households in Perth have to withstand harsh weather conditions, so experts from there are often contacted for the smallest and biggest problems. And even if there doesn’t seem to be a problem, they can help you to ensure regular roof inspections and make sure that all the work that is done will be able to withstand the weather conditions.

Common Dangers

Day in and day out, your roof is constantly exposed to conditions that wear it down and make it more susceptible to damage. If you regularly put off roof maintenance, you are opening your home up to some common dangers. If you let your gutters get clogged, for example, mold could grow - and mold can pose serious health risks to people if it’s left untreated. Then there are those little drips in the ceiling that are so small, they seem like they could fix themselves, but they can’t. If you let a problem get bad enough, you are also risking inviting pests into your home, such as insects and rodents that enter through the holes in your roof.

Attend to Problems Even If You Are Moving

Small leaks aren’t as harmless as they seem. Most problems involving leaks in the roof can grow exponentially if they are not treated on time. The pitfall is that when people are planning on moving away soon, or putting in a new roof the following year, they tend to put off fixing a problem that has the potential to grow rapidly over a short period of time. When you come across a leaky roof, it’s best to take action right away even if it doesn’t seem to be too much of a hazard for the time being. A flashing leak can quickly lead to rotted framing, damaged ceilings, and destroyed insulation. Then you will be dealing with a much larger bill than you would have had if you had dealt with the issue straight away. So don’t ignore those leaks and minimise the cost of repairs.

Conclusion

Taking care of your home is a sort of job, but maintaining your roof shouldn’t be the last thing on your list of chores. Don’t put it off just because it seems like a hassle. Providing a safe and secure home doesn’t have to be difficult if you have your roof inspected on a regular basis and detect the problems on time.

Guest post by Audrey Taylor

About the Author

Audrey Taylor was born in San Francisco, and moved to Adelaide at the age of five. She is a marketer researcher and social media manager on hold, full - time mommy of a cheerful two-year-old. Audrey graduated from Queensford college, worked in a couple of marketing agencies across Australia, and is eager to learn more about business and share her experiences. She traveled across Europe. Her hobbies include home decor, fashion, travel, music, old movies. Follow Audrey on Twitter.