Maplewood Storm damage Repair

Lack of Maintenance and Inspection

Loose shingles, vents or flashing can allow water to seep underneath--even uphill, against the pitch of the roof--due to wind. Worn-down shingles due to weather or abuse tend to cause leaks as well. Most roof leaks can be avoided with twice-annual inspection.

Note that most roof leaks start with age, as all roofs need eventual replacement.

How Does a Roof Leak Start?

Surprisingly, the sun does more to damage a roof than wind or rain. The constant bombardment of the sun's rays works to make shingles brittle over time. The sun also softens the tar that binds shingles together, which makes them susceptible to warping. Due to warping and cracking, rainwater can penetrate through the interlocking system of shingles your roof integrity depends on.

Rain and wind, after the sun, are the most common causes of roof leaks. Stormy weather can make shingles shift, bypass imperfect seals around vents and flashing, and otherwise infiltrate beneath the shingles and roofing felt

Roof Leak Prevention/Solution

The search for a good roof begins when you hire the roofer. Get references and check them. Purchase the correct materials for your location and make sure all the vents in your roof are leak-proof. It is better to err on the safe side when it comes to sealing your roof. Use additional silicone roof caulking around all vents, chimneys and bootjacks.

Roofing Leak Effects

A roof leak can have devastating effects on the interior finish or structure of a home. If the leak goes undetected, it will grow in size as the surrounding materials rot and sag. If a leak travels in an interior wall, you may not notice the growth of unhealthy mold until the whole wall reaches the stage where total replacement is required.

About Roof Leaks

A roof can leak for a number of reasons, but the most common is substandard installation of the roof. Over half of all roof leaks in typical residences are the result of improper flashing around roof vents and in the valley where the roof lines meet. Storms are the second-leading cause of leaks, since strong winds can rip shingles from the roof and force water underneath some types of shingles.

Does Your Home Need a New Roof?

How do you keep your roof in good shape? Easy—by paying attention. Inspecting your roof for signs of damage should be done annually, but most people don't.

Most roofs made of asphalt are designed to last usefully for about a decade and a half, and roofs made of metal, slate, or tile last even longer, but you should still buck the trend of ignoring the roof and make sure your roof is properly maintained—after all, useful service is a bare minimum that you should endeavor to surpass.

Take a stroll outside and look, really look, at your roof. Usually you take it for granted—it's there, it has shingles, it keeps the rain out. Now that you're taking a good look at it, does anything look out of place? Are there shingles that are loose, maybe damaged, or even shingles which have black streaks on them? Are trees touching your roof? If you answered yes to the above questions, then it's time for a check up.