Roof damage exposes the structure of a home to serious issues including water damage/rot, wildlife infestations, mold, and more. Advanced roof damage can cost thousands of dollars to repair, leaving homeowners with an unexpected addition to their annual home maintenance budgets. To prevent roof damage from becoming severe, watch for these warning signs:
Water Damage
Water stains on ceilings and walls. Some of the most noticeable signs of roof leaks take place inside the home. You may notice dingy water stains appear on ceilings and walls. Leaks can also manifest as water spots or moldy areas on the rafters of your attic or along the siding outside your home.
These water stains can indicate a leak in the roof or a leak in your plumbing, depending on the location. Leaks can rot the infrastructure of your home from the inside out and encourage the growth of dangerous molds.
Shingles
Missing shingles, stones, or tiles. High heat and high wind conditions can loosen and move materials from their positions over time. Animals can also pull shingles from their strips. Missing shingles expose the roof to further damage from wildlife and weather. If caught early, homeowners can repair the patchy areas without impacting the roof’s performance or life expectancy.
Fascia and Soffits
Deterioration around fascia and soffits. Decay, cracking, and missing wood around the fascia and soffits can indicate water damage somewhere along the roof or a problem with gutter drainage.
Check Your Gutters
Asphalt granules in gutter runoff. Various elements including hail, heavy rains, age, and heat, can weaken the granules on older asphalt shingles and cause them to fall off and run down the roof into the gutter system. Bare shingles leave roofs exposed to further damage.
When hail hits your roof, it can cause small imperfections in shingles. These spots of missing granules increase the risk of greater damage over time. You may want to call for a roof inspection after any significant hail storm to assess the damage. Most homeowners insurance policies will cover hail-related roof damage.
Venting
Curling at the edges of shingles. Improper venting in the attic, ice dams, and age can cause shingles to curl up at the edges. Curled or cupped shingles are often brittle and will easily crack or break under pressure. Shingles that do not lay flat cannot protect the roof from rain and/or high winds.
Repair or Replacement
Many signs of damage such as missing shingles or a localized leak may only require basic repair work if caught early enough. Others indicate serious signs of stress or damage that will leave your home vulnerable to further issues. Curling shingles, bare shingles, and significant water or structural damage generally require major repairs or replacement work.
Spotting roof damage is not always easy. For example, you may not spot a few missing shingles behind a gable, or see missing shingle granules from the ground. Roof leaks can go on for months without creating visible water stains within the home. To identify roof damage before it becomes a major issue, partner with Mr. Roof for routine roofing inspections. A professional inspection every few years, and after major weather events, can provide peace of mind that your roof is performing as it should. We want to make maintenance on your roof easy, so we offer free estimates.
