Roof problems occur for a variety of reasons, in some cases it due to factors outside of ones control but in many more cases the damage could have been prevented had the homeowner or roof contractor caught the issue early on. Noticing and repairing these problems could save you thousands.
Here of some of the more common causes of roof problems:
1) Roof Leaks & Condensation
Water, in whatever form, is damaging to your roof and can cause problems throughout your home. Water gets in your home through perforations in your roof or from the air itself as condensation. Once inside, water can pool up in different areas and begin damaging your home from the roof to the foundation!
Leaks are cause by a variety of factors, from sudden damage to a mistake during installation. In many cases, these leaks go unnoticed for months, even years and when the damage becomes obvious, it is has become a much more expensive problem.
Condensation build up is the result of improper ventilation in most cases. While proper ventilation certainly helps keep your utility bills in check it has the added bonus of keeping condensation out of your home. If condensation is building up outside of your bathroom or kitchen you may have a problem.
2) Lack Of Proper Roof Maintenance
Neglecting one’s roof occurs for a variety of reasons from financial difficulties to business continuity reasons. As we’ve said, catching problems early can prevent their escalation. Maintenance is key to keeping an eye on your roof and ensuring it’s at it’s best.
It doesn’t take a lot of knowledge to perform routine inspections and maintenance. Things like pooled water, a piece of slipped flashing or base, pitch pockets that haven’t been filled, these things should be obvious whether or not you know roofing or not. If you notice any problems these should be repaired immediately and a roof contractor should be consulted.
Specific levels of maintenance are also required to prevent voiding your warranty and insurance Having a professional roof contractor perform these maintenance tasks properly ensures your roof is kept in it’s best condition and your protection remains intact.
3) Pooling/Ponding water
Keeping water off a roof will give the roof it’s best chance of performing properly. During the design phase, calculating the correct slope is imperative to prevent pooling of water on any part of a roof. Improperly sloped roofs or roofs with debris can cause pools of water causing damage.
UV rays compounded by pooled water can have adverse effects on a roof and can void the warranty. Regular inspection of one’s roof can identify potential pooled/ponded water situations and save you tons of money in unnecessary repairs.
4) Improper repairs
Those guys that stop buy in their little trucks offering incredible deals to repair or replace your roof sounds great at first, until you experience the problems resulting from cheap services. Using materials not intended for application on specific roof types can cause permanent damage to a roof. You can actually make a small problem worse though improper repair. Following the manufacturers instructions for proper use and taking note of products with a shelf life can go a long way in ensuring your investment is protected.
Which brings us to….
5 )Poor initial installation and/or poor workmanship from the start
Fly-by-night and other cheap roofers and unscrupulous roofing companies can charge much less than legitimate companies by using sup-par and other materials never meant to be used on a roof. A faulty installation dramatically increases the likelihood of problems and reduces it’s life expectancy. Poor workmanship isn’t always evident when the job is completed, but becomes obvious as the years go by as problems occur and the life of the roof is substantially reduced.
Educating yourself and researching the roofers or roofing company you use is your best weapon against being a victim of poor workmanship and poor contractors in general.
Take the easy route, call Atlanta Roofing Specialists at 770-419-2222 for all your roofing needs and never worry about the problems and issues caused by poor workmanship or neglect!