What are some common causes of water damage on roofs
Common causes of water damage on roofs include: –
- Leaking or missing shingles
- Clogged gutters
- Damaged flashing
- Poorly sealed penetrations (such as vents, skylights, and chimneys)
- Improperly installed or sloping roofs
- Heavy rain or snowfall
- Poor maintenance
The moment you suspect your roof may be leaking, you should leap on it. Because procrastinating, infiltrating water damage can not only quickly become expensive, it can also become dangerous. Understanding what water damage looks like and how it can affect your budget and your health can help you prepare against it by allowing you to quickly recognize it and get it fixed.
Hazards Of Water Damage
However, a leaky roof is one of the most important problems to address in your home. Leaks can develop for many reasons: improper installation, maintenance mistakes, or wind damage from storms and hurricanes. The weight of snow during wintertime can cause cracks where water will seep in.
If your roof is leaking, then you should take immediate action to correct the problem before it gets worse. A constant intake of water (though it is often slow and steady in accumulating) coming in through cracks and crevices can cause extensive damage, which can in turn spread and become more costly to both your wallet and your health.
If left untreated, water damage will only spread, creating some of the following problems:
- Higher utility bills: With a leaking roof, you may experience higher utility bills as water intrusion damages insulation. The longer the problem goes unaddressed, the more money spent on cooling and heating will affect your home’s energy efficiency – meaning even though it costs less each month to run an air conditioner or heater at full blast all summer long than switch them off during winter time; if they’re not working properly because of leaks from places such as windows & doors opening inside their homes then those savings can quickly disappear!
- Mold and mildew: Nobody wants mold and mildew. It is invasive, difficult to remove, and quickly-spreading, especially if it reaches areas like vents. It damages structures and sometimes requires an overhaul of some areas. But on top of all that, it is highly damaging to your health. Breathing in mold and spores leads to illness and breathing issues. The sooner you can prevent it, the bigger load off it will be.
- Higher repair costs: Water damage doesn’t repair itself. Quite the opposite, it will only get worse. And the more it deteriorates, the more expensive it will be to repair. The best solution when you’ve noticed water damage, if you want to spare yourself precious dollars and effort, is to get it repaired the moment you notice it. The longer you put it off, the higher that eventual repair bill will grow.
Recognizing Water Damage
A leaking roof isn’t always going to be as obvious as a miniature waterfall coming down from your ceiling. Thank heavens for that because you would need a lot more than just roofing repair to take care of that issue. But there are obvious signs that can tip you off and tell you that it’s time for a repair.
Watermarks
Have you noticed brownish puddle-shaped spots forming on your ceiling, walls, or attic that weren’t there before? The moment you see something like that, it is a sign that something somewhere is leaking, whether it be a pipe or your roof, so you should make an effort to check it out.
Mold
As mold is caused by dampness, then its appearance should definitely tip you off of trapped moisture. Simply cleaning it up and calling it a day is only treating the symptoms, not getting to the root of the issue. You have no guarantee that it isn’t going to come back. And the longer it goes untreated, the more chance it has of hurting your health.
Swelling Walls And Ceilings
Are your walls beginning to look swollen? Is your ceiling bowing downwards a bit? As moisture collects in the wood, it causes swelling that steadily becomes more and more apparent. It can also take on the appearance of blister-like bubbles on the walls or ceiling.
“Sweat”
In the early stages of a leak, you may see water marks on walls and ceilings from where moisture has leaked. The excess moisture can present itself as “sweating” walls. These will eventually turn into mold or other fungus due to lack of ventilation but can oftentimes present themselves as sweating surfaces for a short period before this happens- indicator that there’s an issue with your roof/ceiling.
Wallpaper/Baseboards/Trimming Starting To Separate
The subtle signs of water damage in your home may be more difficult to detect than you think. For example, the decorative features on walls and ceilings (wallpaper, baseboards, trimming) can separate from them due excess moisture that causes wallpaper or paint bubbles while a leak will cause baseboards/trim to begin swelling slightly until it is too big for its space.
Don’t Procrastinate, Call The Best Roofer In Ogden
If you’re dealing with water damage on your roof, then don’t put it off. The longer it goes without repair, the worse the damage can become and the higher the repair bill will grow. But if you jump on it as soon as you notice it, then you can nip the problem in the bud before it has the chance to get worse.
No matter what type of roof you’ve got, Out There Roofing has the professional expertise to handle any leak. Our team is made up of experts who have had experience working on roofs from every angle and know how important this job really can be. By calling in expert roof repairmen, you can preserve the longevity of your roof and protect it against future damage.
Contact us today to schedule a free estimate. We’ll send one of our repairpeople to your home at absolutely no charge where you can receive an onsite bid on what repairs will cost. That way you can make decisions as to what you would like to do for your roof.
Have the best roofers in northern Utah work for you today, with Out There Roofing!
