A storm subjects your roof to extreme punishment over an intense, short period of time. Even though storms are over relatively quickly, they can wreak more havoc than regular wear-and-tear does over months or even years. The damage caused by a storm can range from small roof leaks to major structural breakage.
Below ABC Roofing professionals discuss the most common types of leak repair and how they can help get your roof back to normal after inclement weather.
Top 5 Types Of Damage Caused By Storms
The biggest causes of roof damage during a storm are rain, wind, and flying debris. It doesn’t matter what type of storm has hit your home, there are generally five types of damage that will need to be seen to by a roofing professional once the storm has passed.
1. Major Storm Damage
Some storms are severe enough to uproot trees or tip other large objects. Should one of these objects come down on your home, there will be considerable house and roof structure rebuilding required. ABC Roofing has years of experience dealing with these leak repairs.
2. Roof Leaks
Storms bring hard, driving rain that has a way of exploiting weaknesses in your roofing structure. Even a tiny crack is vulnerable to wind-driven rain that will force its way in and cause the cracks to widen and allow more water in. As water seeps through the exterior of the roof, it causes leaks into the structure of your roof, as well as the interior of your home. If the leaks remain un-repaired, the moisture in the roof and ceiling will lead to rot and mold.
3. Roof Shingles Or Tiles That Are Loose, Damaged Or Blown Off
The combination of strong winds and rain that come with storms are known to damage roofing materials, and in some cases, remove them completely. Large pieces of debris, such as tree branches, that are blown around during storms are also responsible for much of the damage that happens to roof shingles and tiles.
4. Clogged Gutters
Gutters are good at catching all the branches, leaves, dirt, and other debris that gets blown around during storms. Once gutters get clogged up, rainwater doesn’t drain properly and pools in the gutters. The water overflows from the gutters and can cause damage to walls and your roofing structure.
5. Missing or Moved Flashing
Roof flashing reinforces and protects the vulnerable areas of your roof where water runoff is concentrated, or where two opposite sections of roof meet. Flashing can be easily damaged or removed by high winds that come with storms. Leaks that occur due to missing or damaged flashing are usually quite extensive and can cause a lot of internal damage to your home.
Less Obvious Signs Of Storm Damage
- Shingle Roof: Missing shingles are quite easy to spot with a naked eye, but a less obvious sign of storm damage is when the granules on the shingles have been washed off by rain, or the shingles become wavy. This leaves the shingles vulnerable to further battering from the elements.
- Tell-tale Sealant Signs: If the sealant along the edges of roof flashing starts peeling or coming loose, it’s a sure sign that the roof is no longer waterproof and water has got in where it shouldn’t be.
- Water Marks or Damage on ceilings or where the ceiling meets the wall.
Storm Damage Prevention – Put The ‘Pre’ In Prepared
A little bit of planning ahead can save you expensive repairs when the rain starts falling and the wind picks up. Upon heading into hurricane season, schedule a roof inspection with one of the ABC Roofing professionals. Before a storm hits is always the best time to see if you need a leak repair.
- They will identify and fix any potentially vulnerable spots on your roof that could lead to bigger issues when the storms blow in.
- The roof inspection will include checking the gutters and downpipes to make sure they are free of obstructions and are ready to cope with large amounts of water.
- Flashings will be checked to make sure they were correctly installed and are still securely attached and sealed.
The Big After Storm Roof Debate: Replace Or Repair?
Deciding to repair or completely replace a storm-damaged roof is a hard decision to make. An ABC Roofing professional will assess how badly damaged your roof is and advise you whether repair or replacement is the best option for you.
If your roof took on a storm and lost the battle, give us a call at 954-344-4622 to come and fix it for you. We are available for emergency roof leak repair, replacement, or for a preventative roof check-up.
