Keeping our home safe and solid, is usually a number one priority for many of us. While we generally think of doing this by keeping doors locked and the insides clean, we often forget to check on the structure of our homes to make sure they are healthy too. Unfortunately, we usually don’t notice a problem until it has become an issue.
Professional Roof Inspection
It’s really important that your roof is checked for damage after a storm or hurricane. Damage can occur that only a professional will notice and that can help prevent further damage down the line.
An annual roof inspection is recommended for preventing the issues that may occur from storms and hurricanes, and always immediately after any storm with high winds or hail. You can also talk to your roofing professional about getting protective material for your roof so that you can prevent damage from occurring before a storm.
Loose Shingles
Strong winds, storms and hurricanes can cause the shingles on your roof to become damaged. In many cases they may curl, buckle, or fly off completely. This causes pressure to be placed on surrounding shingles and within no time it can weaken and damage your entire roof. Of course, this can lead to water damage which the shingles are in place to prevent.
Water damage can cause structural damage to your property that can cause thousands to repair. A single loose shingle is all it takes to allow structural damage to occur.
Holes, Cracks, Dimples, Discoloration
Storms and even hail can cause shingles to crack, dent, or get holes in them. A professional can fix this quickly and easily before the damage spreads and gets worse. They will use roofing nails, new shingles, and/or special sealants to fix the issues which means less pressure on that shingle and the surrounding areas of the roof.
Event small holes and cracks–too small to be seen from the ground–can allow water to slowly seep below your shingles. Over time this can cause more damage to your shingles and, most importantly, additional damage to the wooden roofing structure itself. As with most things, a simple problem that’s left unchecked can easily turn into a large problem.
Clear the Gutters
Ensure that flashing, gutter guards and fascia have not been damaged or gone missing due to weather damage. These keep the structure of the roof in place. If any one of them is cracked or missing, your roof is at risk of collapsing. Especially if you live in areas with high trees, blowing leaves, sand or dust, it important to clear your gutters at least once a year.
Even outside of areas with leaves and other material that’s well known to clog gutters, it’s important to always make sure your gutters are flowing freely. If you don’t get much rain you can check by using your garden hose to spray water on to your roof. You would be surprised to learn how common it is for things like dead birds, or even lost toys and balls, to block your gutters and downspouts!
Check Your Trees
Unchecked trees can be catastrophically hazardous for your roof. Wind, storms, and hurricanes can send branches into your shingles causing massive amounts of damage and risking further water damage and structural problems. Make sure your trees are trimmed and not in any areas where they may cause dame to your roof.
Having annual roof inspections and inspections following a storm can prevent massive amounts of damage from occurring to your roof and ensure that the structure of your home is safe and solid, all year long.
