You need your roof to protect you from the elements, but it doesn’t last forever. Over time, shingles, flashing, and gutters can deteriorate, letting water seep into your home.
Fortunately, there are some easy ways to spot these problems early, so you can fix them before they cause serious damage. We’ve rounded up five of our favorite tricks to help you avoid common roofing issues this Spring.
1. Take a Walk Through Your Attic
When it comes to spotting roofing problems early, there are a few tricks that can help. One is to take a walk through your attic, especially if you have an old roof or you’re having trouble getting in and out of it.
Attics are often a big mess of boxes, storage containers, and piles of long-forgotten relics. If you’re going to do any sort of clean-up, make sure to create zones for everything so that it will be easier to find things later. You may also want to create logical spaces for things like clothes, toys, keepsakes, or holiday decorations.
You should also pay attention to the trusses in your attic, which is carpenter-speak for the little triangular wooden structures that connect the joists to the rafters. If you notice that these trusses have a few cracks, this is a sign of water damage and should be repaired.
Another way to spot sagging is to take a walk around your home and look for dips or bowing in the ridge line of your roof. If you see a sagging ridge line or even a significant gap between your ceiling and the roof, then there is a good chance that the shingles have deteriorated and are starting to fall apart.
If you do a walk-through of your attic, you can also look for any gaps between the rafters or decking that are exposed to the air, which can indicate serious damage to the trusses and/or rafters. To keep yourself safe, you should put down plywood (or some other heavy-duty material) to fill in such dangerous areas.
Lastly, you should be sure to check the ventilation in your attic. Without adequate ventilation, moisture can build up in the attic, which leads to sagging. If you aren’t sure how to fix this problem, you should call a professional who can inspect your roof and let you know what needs to be done to address it.
2. Look for Sagging
Whether it’s raining or not, you should always be looking out for signs of damage. This includes looking for any spots of deterioration on your roof or any other part of your home.
Another thing you should look for is sagging on the top of your roof. This is usually a sign that the structure underneath is starting to fail and that it might collapse.
This can happen at the ridge where two shingle surfaces meet at a peak or on the deck, the solid structure that holds up the shingles. If the ridge is sagging, it’s a good idea to call in a professional for inspection and possible repair or replacement.
It can also be a sign of rotting wood below the shingles. It’s important to spot this issue as soon as possible, so you can schedule repairs and prevent further damage.
Sagging in your gutters can also be a warning sign that your drainage system is damaged. This can cause water to leak onto your house or other parts of the property and damage them.
When this happens, it’s a sign that you need to replace your gutters. They’re an essential part of your roofing system, and they should be inspected frequently to ensure they’re in good working condition.
3. Look for Damaged Gutters
Gutters are a big part of a home’s drainage system. They help to remove rainwater from your roof and prevent it from causing damage to the foundation or walls of your home. However, they need to be properly installed and maintained.
If gutters are clogged or don’t get cleaned often enough, they can cause water to back up into the house, where it can damage windows and siding. In some cases, the water can seep into the wall and lead to mold growth and other serious issues.
Over time, a clogged gutter can also cause the wooden components of your fascia board to rot. This happens because of the constant exposure to the water in the gutters.
This can lead to a lot of problems for the fascia boards and even the side panels. This is because the wood can rot and deteriorate, which leads to expensive repair costs.
In addition, a clogged gutter can also create ice dams. These are blockages that develop when water starts to freeze in a small space, and they can cause a lot of damage to your home.
Another problem with clogged gutters is that they are an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes love the warm, wet environment of a clogged gutter, which means they’ll be able to breed and lay eggs in them.
As a result, it’s important to clean your gutters at least once a year and make sure they are sized correctly for your home.
It’s also a good idea to inspect your gutters for signs of rust, which can be a sign that your gutters are aging and corroding. Fortunately, most leaks can be fixed with gutter sealant. If a hole is large, however, it may require patching to stop the leak.
4. Check Your Chimney
Roofing is an important part of any home, as it provides protection from the weather and also helps with insulation. But it can also become damaged by moisture or rust, and even lead to structural issues that can threaten your home’s integrity.
It’s always best to spot these problems early so you can get them fixed before they can cause serious damage. Here are 5 tricks to help you do just that:
1. Check Your Chimney
The chimney is an essential part of your home’s fire safety system. When it’s properly constructed and maintained, it can prevent carbon monoxide from entering your home and smoke from escaping your chimney’s flue.
A chimney problem can lead to structural damage in your home, so be sure to schedule an inspection with a professional at least once per year. In addition to checking for visible damage, you should inspect the inside of your chimney as well.
2. Look for Cracks and Damage
The mortar that holds the stones and bricks of your chimney together is essential for keeping moisture from seeping through and causing structural damage. It’s a good idea to check for cracks and damage to the mortar joints of your chimney at least once every year, to ensure they are in good shape. In some cases, residential roof repair might be necessary if you haven’t been regularly inspecting your roof.
3. Repair Flashing
A roof leak around your chimney can be caused by many things, but it’s most often due to a lack of proper flashing. This means the counter flashing around your chimney or the step flashing at the base of a dormer or wall could be leaking.
A leaking chimney can lead to water damage to your walls, siding, and ceilings. It can also make your chimney prone to other problems like spalling or salt deposits. If you see any of these signs, it’s time to call a chimney expert in Columbus.
5. Look for Cracks
Roof cracks aren’t usually visible from the ground, but they can cause damage to the inside of your home. This is why it’s important to have your roof inspected regularly.
In addition to cracks, look for other signs of structural problems on your roof. These include issues with your shingles, flashing, and underlayment. Structural issues can lead to leaks, premature deterioration, and other problems.
Another sign of structure problems is a dark spot on your roof or a lack of granules. The granules provide protection for your shingles and help them to last longer.
The granules also protect your gutters from rainwater. When granules are missing, it’s time to get them replaced.
A dark spot on your roof can also indicate algae growth. This type of algae is found on roofs that are in moisture or shady conditions.
If the algae is growing on the outside of your house, it’s best to call a professional for help. Otherwise, it could lead to water stains or rotting wood.
Algae can also be a warning sign that your gutters are damaged. If your gutters are clogged, the water can overflow and leak into the basement or other areas of your home.
In some cases, it may be a simple repair job. In other cases, it’s time to have a new roof installed.
Regardless of the reason for your roof’s cracks, it’s important to address them as soon as possible. This will save you money and avoid unnecessary damage to your home.
All buildings, whether it’s wood, concrete, or steel, move over time. Some cracks are to be expected, but some are serious structural issues. Learn how to spot these and call a foundation professional for an inspection if you see any that aren’t right.
