A roof repair or replacement will be necessary if you have roofing issues. When homeowners neglect their roofs, a plethora of problems can arise, and Atlanta roofing firms will be tasked with eliminating the difficulties that have been found. In order to safeguard your assets, roofing contractors in Atlanta must continuously check your roof, an out-of-sight, out-of-mind asset. The only reliable method of finding roofing issues is to use a ladder and conduct a visual inspection of the roof. Or, if the problem is significant enough to draw your notice, such as a leak, flapping shingles, or missing, cracked, or curled shingles, you may have to pay a high repair charge or, worse, have the entire roof torn off and replaced. In order to help homeowners recognize the 10 most frequent issues they can anticipate running into when maintaining a residential roofing system, Stress Free Roofing has prepared this handy guide.
Overhanging Trees
A home’s surroundings are naturally enhanced by trees, but there is one drawback. Trees that are too near to your home might seriously damage your roofing system. Low-hanging tree limbs can damage your shingles by scraping and wearing them down to the point where leaks develop. Trees also don’t clean up after themselves, which results in an accumulation of leaves and other debris on the roof and in the gutters, which causes ponding and causes water to pour over the eavestroughs.
In the event of a storm that can uproot a tree branch, it will fall directly onto the roof and cause structural damage over time. Animals and vermin can easily get access to your roof through trees; they will steal roofing materials for their nests or burrow through it to create a safe environment that will ruin your roofing system. Discuss the best course of action with an expert before beginning any tree management initiatives. Regular inspections can help safeguard your roofing system because Mother Nature isn’t kind to them.
Worn Out/Damaged Gutters
Your eavestroughs were designed to channel water that freely runs off your shingles and into your gutters, where it is subsequently directed by downspouts to the ground. The eavestroughs are clearly and immediately in danger from ice dams in the winter and blockages at all other times of the year. The eavestrough will be forced away from the fascia by the weight of the ice dam, leaving a gaping aperture through which water will leak.
The gutters won’t drain water effectively if there is sediment in them, and when the accumulation develops, it pushes water over the edges. The ideal answer to the issue is a gutter guard or meshing, but for optimal effectiveness, remember to regularly clean the guards. Maintain a working relationship with a reputable roofing firm with experience cleaning eavestroughs to safeguard your roof and house from any problems.
Roof Leaks
Check the attic periodically for discoloration caused by roof leaks; drips are the most obvious sign of a problem when it rains, but we can’t always be in the attic during a downpour. Stains on the ceilings in the upper portion of the house are another indication of leaks. Check the outside as well to check if there are any issues. You can usually spot a leak problem directly under the roofline at the edge of the roof; if it changes color or otherwise doesn’t appear right, you have a problem.
Another place where water leaks can occur is around vents and skylights. You will know right away if your skylight is leaking. You won’t notice if you have vent issues until they become major emergencies requiring expensive repairs. In order to stop more damage, you can apply caulking to the leaks’ entry points to provide a temporary fix. However, in most cases, you should hire a professional to apply a long-lasting fix. Hire a residential roofing expert with expertise, knowledge, and the gear to finish a high-quality repair if you aren’t a professional roofer instead of acting like one.
DIY Roofing Projects
When weighing the benefits and drawbacks of DIY roof repairs against hiring a professional, keep in mind that the downsides far outweigh the upsides. As hundreds of Americans attempt to address roofing issues each year, you risk being hurt if you lack safety training.
The best plan of action is to call in a qualified, licensed roofing contractor to assess the problems. A qualified roofing contractor can identify the root of the issue and offer a solution to fix the roofing issues you’re having by drawing on their experience and professional insight. Because a professional will be efficient and quickly resolve the issues through their experience, using them will result in cost savings.
Flashing Problems
There must be flashing around any vents, skylights, chimneys, or satellite dishes that are installed on the roof. A metal strip called flashing surrounds the inserts to stop water from dripping in. When the flashing reaches the end of its useful life and begins to deteriorate, water might infiltrate your roof structure. Flashing is also installed along the edge of the roof, at joints and seams, and it fills the gap left by your roof’s valleys.
For the protection of your home, flashing, the unsung hero of your roofing system, must be maintained with frequent inspections. The biggest threats to the flashing in your home may be aging, exposure, and shoddy installation. Before you replace your roof as a result of negligence, call a professional roofer to fix the issue of deteriorating flashing.
Poor Ventilation
Although it may seem absurd to consider it, a roof needs to be able to breathe, which is why vents are included to keep the attic dry and cool. You might anticipate your attic to be a sauna in the summer and covered in frost in the winter if your ventilation is inadequate to nonexistent. Your trusses and decking will get spongy from the damp, moist air, which will eventually cause the roof to sag. Once wood rot has begun, the only option for restoration is to completely tear off the roof, including the trusses.
When inhaled over time, mold can cause respiratory issues. Mold multiplies if it has a favorable habitat, such as a damp environment that allows its spores to travel throughout the house. Poor ventilation will come at a high cost to your HV/AC system and monthly budget because it will make the attic more humid and make the air conditioner work harder in the summer. Install vents at the gables, ridges, and roof edges to provide optimal ventilation for your home and keep your attic cool and dry all year.
Roof Gaps
Any roofing issue begins as a minor irritation before becoming the worst nightmare of your life. Deterioration will occur quickly and covertly if your roofing system has open holes, gaps between roof pieces, or rips in the membrane. The main enemy of a roof is water, and if it enters a house, mould issues, which were previously stated, become a threat to your health and wellbeing.
Call a professional to evaluate your roof if you haven’t done so recently to identify any issues and learn where to look for remedies. A reputable roofing firm has the tools to find roofing issues, such as gaps or holes, that aren’t evident to the human eye. When there are only little issues, they will catch them. One development that has lessened the damage roofing issues cause when fixed promptly is the use of drone technology.
Roof Wear & Tear
We all wish that our roofs could last indefinitely, but unfortunately, that isn’t how things work. When shingles reach the end of their lifespan, they must be changed because they have a limited shelf life. It’s great to keep up with your maintenance plan and replace any damaged shingles, but eventually it will be more cost-effective to replace the entire roof. Father Time is unbeatable, and Mother Nature will wreak havoc if not kept in check, as they say in athletics.
When you update a roof that was put on more than 20 years ago, you may take advantage of new materials that are light years ahead of what was put on before and avoid having to replace the roof before you sell your house. Your property has to be protected from the risks and hazards a roofing system faces by utilizing modern materials that can survive a class A fire and class 4 weather.
Improper Installation
Let’s be honest: not everyone who claims to be a professional roofer actually is. Any homeowner could have the issues there in front of them without even realizing it. The foundation of roofing work is trust, and homeowners anticipate that their roofing contractor would be knowledgeable about all the finer points of a roofing system. Poor repairs inevitably lead to other roofing issues in the future.
Poor installation might void a warranty for the installed products if it doesn’t adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions, which is one of the main issues. You discover that the prior contractor didn’t know what they were doing and invalidated your warranty when you assume the warranty will cover a $10,000 roof repair. In the event of a situation like this, messy legal actions are probably going to occur, so carefully screen your contractor before you sign on the dotted line.
Lack of Roof Maintenance
Why not your roof? You maintain your automobile on a regular basis. As we’ve already discussed, a roof is a component of a house that is often neglected, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t require regular maintenance. When you don’t have a regular roofing maintenance schedule to maintain the roofing system as a whole, the issues mentioned in this article will only become worse.
A regular timetable and having a roofing contractor on speed dial will not only stop huge problems in their tracks, but will also stop tiny ones. When compared to the expense of roof repairs or replacements, the cost of a routine roof inspection is minimal, and it is money well spent.
Hire A Trusty Roofing Contractor
We at Stress Free Roofing are here to assist homeowners in maintaining their roofing systems through preventative measures that pinpoint issues and provide fixes. Before beginning any repairs at your house, we will provide digital proof of your issues and then present a solution based on our many years of experience in the roofing sector. We provide a workmanship warranty and a product warranty for the materials we utilize at your home once the repair is complete.