A structurally sound roof protects your home from blazing sun, torrential rain, and high winds. A damaged roof puts all your belongings, as well as the integrity of the internal structure of your building at risk. Water spots on the ceiling are usually the first sign that you have something going wrong up top and may need a roof leak repair. While the warning signs of a roof leak can be easy to spot, diagnosing and fixing the problem may not always be straightforward.
Tile Roofs
Tile roofs are a good investment as they can last up to 25 years before they need to be replaced. Tile roofs are vulnerable to damage by strong winds. The tiles can be broken if they are struck by heavy objects.
Tile Roof Troubles: Broken Or Missing Tiles
Tile roofs offer reliable, long-lasting protection but even one damaged tile will let moisture in that can affect the structure and underlayment of your roof. Moisture that makes it past the tiles will work its way through the underlayment to the rafters and beams where it can cause the wood to swell, rot and mold. The water spots that appear on your ceiling are symptoms of an issue that can cause a much larger problem if the leak isn’t fixed quickly.
How Can You Tell If You Have Broken Tiles?
Broken tiles are usually easy to see from below with the naked eye, but the safest way to check if you have any broken tiles is to have your roof inspected by ABC Roofing Corp. This is particularly important after high winds from hurricane season or if something heavy has fallen on your roof like a large tree branch.
Shingle Roofs
Shingle roofs are a popular choice in South Florida. They tend to have a shorter lifespan than tiles and need to be replaced every 10 to 15 years. With regular maintenance, this can be stretched to 20. ABC Roofing can help you extend the life of your shingle roof. Call us for your free roofing maintenance quote.
Shingle Roof Shenanigans
Shingle roof tiles can be damaged in different ways. Here are some signs that your shingle roof needs to be repaired:
Broken Or Old Shingles
As with tile roofs, a single broken or missing shingle will put your home at risk of water damage.
Cracked Shingles
Shingles crack when they become brittle due to the granules washing away and leaving the shingle exposed. Usually this starts to happen as the shingles age and approach the end of their lifespan.
Cupped Shingles
When shingles are curled up at the corners, this is known as cupping. This occurs mostly in older shingles, but it can be made worse if there isn’t adequate ventilation in the area below your roof. A build-up of heat below will cause shingles to curl or look wavy. Proper ventilation is essential to prevent older shingles from cupping. As the edges curl, wind-blown rain can get in under the shingles and seep through to the roofing structure through to the ceiling.
Exposed Shingles
As shingles age, they will wear down and begin to deteriorate. The granules that protect the shingle from UV rays fall off and leave the shingle exposed. You’ll know that this is happening because you will find granules washed down the gutters and downpipes.
Are All Ceiling Spots Caused By Roof Leaks?
Ceiling water spots are not only caused by roof leaks but can also be as a result of condensation on plumbing pipes, or plumbing issues. With this in mind, how do you know if your roof is the problem? Pay attention when it rains. Roof spots that respond to rain by growing or getting darker are clear indications that it’s your roof that has a problem.
Why A Roofing Professional Is The Best Choice For Roof Leak Repair
A roofing professional from ABC Roofing Corp. will ensure that your leak is found and fixed quickly and efficiently in three steps.
Step 1 – Finding The Leak
Finding the source of a leak can be tricky. The starting point to find a leak is usually whatever is directly above the stained ceiling. However, water can run along piping or rafters before dripping onto the ceiling, making it hard to find the actual source of the problem.
Step 2 – Fixing The Leak
It’s better to act quickly when you notice a water stain on your ceiling. Apart from the structural problems caused by a leak that is left unattended, the longer you ignore the leak the worse your ceiling stain will be to clean up and fix. Roofing professionals have the tools and know-how to get to the bottom of the problem and solve it quickly.
Step 3 – Preventing Future Leaks
ABC Roofing offers maintenance plans that will keep you a step ahead of any roofing problems before they cause trouble. Contact us today at (954) 344-4622 for a free quote.
