Fall….what a beautiful time of year. The leaves are turning, the weather is chilly, you’re wearing hoodies, and eating and drinking pumpkin spiced everything! But it’s also the time of year that can be hardest on your roof. The weather rapidly changes from morning to night. Things freeze and thaw, and the weather can bring lots of storms. Rain storms, snow storms, and lots of wind – this can wreak havoc on your roof. So the best thing you can do this time of year is keep your eyes peeled for signs of damage after these storms so that you can quickly address them before they lead to major problems.
The following is a list of some of the four most important issues to be on the look out for as you inspect your roof. These inspections should be done as a matter of habbit multiple times per year as well as immediately following a major storm.
1. Missing Shingles
This one is pretty easy. This can be on your home roof, or your office. If a storm rips up some shingles, you can usually tell right from the ground. Sometimes the shingles will even be on the ground! It’s important to remember that even one missing shingle can create a situation where water can infiltrate into your home or place of business and quickly create a variety of problems from the water damage. Stay vigilant and watch out for those blown away shingles!
Not only is it important to be vigilant regarding missing shingles, it's also important that they are installed properly in the first place.
2. Damaged Flashing
Flashing is used to seal edges. Where roofing materials meet walls, or where directions change – flashing is a crucial part of the roofing system and needed to keep things leak free. But it’s also a light metal or aluminum that can easily be affected by the wind or a branch hitting it. If you see any signs of flashing being “out of whack” call your roofer asap.
3. Cracks or Tears
A flat roof goes through a beating year after year. The constant weather changes creates a situation where the roofing membrane expands and contracts almost daily. So when heavy storms roll through it can easily beat up on an already weakened roof. If you are able, it’s always good to get up on the roof and look for cracks and tears a few times a year. However, this is especially true after a big storm.
4. Water Stains Inside
Sometimes you can’t see the damage. You can’t see it from the road. You can’t easily climb up on the roof. So you are forced to keep an eye out, from the inside, for storm damage. Once you see water stains on your ceiling, it is important to act right away. The destructive effects of water passing through the outer roof layers and making it’s way into the interior of the building can create a whole host of very expensive problems that will only increase exponentially with time.
Sometimes, it can take days or weeks for the water infiltration to show. So delaying can only cause further damage and mold issues.
visible interior water damage is a sign that you need to act right away before damage quickly escalates.
So What Do You Do?
Relax….And call your roofer. Hopefully, that roofer is J Smucker Contracting. But if not us, make sure to find a reputable licensed and insured roofing company that understands roofing repairs (for more on that subject, you can read our article on ‘How to Choose The Right Commercial Roofing Contractor’). It is especially important to find a reputable and licensed roofing company when you are dealing with commercial roofing repairs. The costs of negligence and cutting corners on a commercial roof repair can range into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. And remember, preventative maintenance is always better than reactive roof repair.
Roof repair is a science. Oftentimes where the leak presents inside is nowhere near where the actual damage is up on the roof. Water runs a long way. It follows a slope. And then comes the easiest spot. So you need a competent roofing contractor addressing this damage and fixing these leaks who knows how to see the whole picture, and fix the actual problems; and hopefully help to prevent them in the future. It is also a great idea to have your roof on a yearly maintenance plan. So that the roofer is getting up there at least once a year to secure things and hopefully prevent problems before they start. An bit of preventative roof maintenance can go a long way.
Thanks for reading! We hope this article was informative. If you have any additional questions, contact J Smucker Contracting today!