Why Fixing Minor Issues With Your Shingle Roof Is Critical
If you have a shingle roof, you should routinely check the condition of your roof so that you can address minor problems before they become major problems. Even relatively small vulnerabilities in your roof can cause extensive damage or be a safety concern.
Exploiting Minor Problems
You may not think of small cracks or other imperfections in your roof as leading to water damage, but it does. When water can make it under the shingles or waterproofing, there is a considerable risk of water damage. Water can also create the ideal environment for mold to grow and eventually infiltrate your home. Mold issues are not only a health hazard, but it is expensive to remediate. Additionally, small cracks can be exploited by animals trying to get inside your roof or the freeze-thaw cycles that happen during the cooler months. This means a small crack can easily turn into a big gap that causes your roof to leak or allow pests inside your home.
Reduced Insulation
Your shingle roof is not only to protect your home, but it also acts as a layer of insulation. When your roof is not damaged, it helps keep heating and air conditioning inside your home. This means you spend less money to keep your home at your ideal temperature, and your system is not unnecessarily overburdened. When your roof works well at insulating your home, it also reduces damage to areas in your home that are not designed to be exposed to the elements. For example, the inner structures of your home and indoor plumbing were not intended for exposure to extreme temperatures. Exposure to extreme temperatures can lead wood to bow or splinter and pipes might freeze.
Projectile Hazards
Checking for damaged shingles also helps keep you and your neighbors safe. Depending on the specific materials and configuration of your roof, it is designed to sustain a certain amount of wind before it becomes damaged. Cracked and loose shingles cannot sustain the same amount of wind. This means shingles can break free easily and become projectiles, even without severe weather. The main concern is shingles can impact windows, causing them to break, and the risk of those shingles hitting a person. Routinely checking your roof and fixing any vulnerable areas can prevent minor wind gusts from turning catastrophic.
Ideally, you should check your roof yearly, but if you can safely check your own roof, you might want to check after significant weather events. The sooner you fix shingles, the more likely your roof will serve its intended purpose.
Speak to a shingle roof repair service to learn more.