The North American residential roofing materials market is expected to be worth $14.4 billion by 2023. This market grows as Americans replace or repair their roofs.
Roofing needs to be inspected and, if needed, repaired or replaced. If you don’t notice damage in time, your roof can collapse! This is dangerous to you, your family, and your belongings.
Keep reading to learn about some of the common types of roof damage.
1. Shingle Damage
The shingles are the small pieces of overlapping material on the roof. They’re commonly made from tiles, wood, or asphalt.
These shingles are the first layer of protection on your roof. Because of this, the best practice is to replace shingles every few years. This keeps your roof in a better condition for longer.
Some signs your shingles need replacement: discoloration, missing shingles, or granules coming off the shingles. If you don’t replace your shingles in time, they’re not going to hold up against any damage they face.
If you’re unsure about whether or not your shingles need replacing, hire a professional for an inspection. For more information about our roof repairs, check out our roofing service page.
2. Water Damage
Water damage is the most common type of weather damage your roof is exposed to. Water damage manifests in a few different ways.
If you notice leaks or water stains on your ceilings, this means water is getting through the roof.
If you notice moss growing between shingles, this means water is trapped. Moss needs a constant flow of water to thrive, so if it’s growing on your roof it means water isn’t draining away properly.
Water not draining away leads to mold and rotting. Mold has harmful impacts on your health, so it’s important to address water damage as soon as you notice it.
When water doesn’t drain properly, the roof becomes waterlogged and eventually rots. This is especially dangerous in roofing because the structural integrity of the wood is compromised. This means the roof might collapse.
3. Wind Damage
Water isn’t the only kind of weather damage a roof can sustain.
The biggest signs of wind damage are usually cracks and tears in the shingles on your roof. The wind might also blow some shingles off the roof. In some cases, the corners of the shingles might curl upwards as a result of ongoing exposure to the wind.
Luckily, this kind of roof repair is easy to do. If you live in a windy area, you might consider looking into changing the material of your roof to something that can sustain more wind damage.
4. Damaged Flashing
Roof flashing is the metal lining that seals all the cracks in the construction of your roof. This is in places like where chimneys or skylights connect with the roof. The flashing is important in keeping water and debris from getting through your roof.
It’s not always obvious when the flashing is damaged. Sometimes it’s only a small tear or puncture, so only a little bit of water is getting through. But the damage from this builds up over time.
Flashing damage can lead to warming of the roof material around it. Rust is also a common problem, especially in areas with lots of rain, hail, or snow.
If you notice your flashing is damaged, you can temporarily seal the tear with caulk. But this isn’t a long-term solution, and you should still get it repaired professionally.
5. Hail Damage
Hail damage is sometimes disregarded as a minor problem for your roof. But in reality, it can cause some serious damage when ignored.
Hail causes lots of small scrapes and scratches to your roof, which removes the top layer of protection from the shingles. This means the shingles are not as good at protecting your roof from UV, heat, and water damage. This speeds up the rate at which your roof ages.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to stop hail from damaging your roof. But if you live in an area with lots of hail storms, you can invest in replacing the shingles with a material that is better at withstanding hail damage.
6. Aged Roof
Even the best-kept roof will eventually need to be replaced. The materials of the roof are only built to sustain a certain amount of wear and tear.
The average lifespan of a roof is between 20 and 50 years. This depends on the materials used, and how well the roof has been maintained. However, most people end up replacing it earlier due to damages.
If you’re not sure how old your roof is, look up the building records for your home. If you realize your roof is nearing the end of its lifespan, start the process of hiring a roofing contractor to replace it.
7. Structural Damage
Structural damage is when the physical structure of the roof has been compromised in some way.
Sometimes this kind of damage is obvious. It could be that after a storm there are holes or cracks in the roof. Or if parts of the roof have collapsed.
But sometimes there are signs of structural damage and homeowners don’t realize it. If any parts of the roof are sagging or bending, this is a sign of structural damage. The lines of the roof should be straight angles, so as soon as something is dipping, it means part of the roof is failing.
Remember, as soon as you realize you’ve got a damaged roof, you should call professionals to repair it.
Repairing Roof Damage
Spotting roof damage early on will help you prolong your roof’s lifespan. Knowing what types of roof damage to look out for will help you do this more efficiently.
With the help of professional roofing contractors, you can keep your family and belongings safe and sound under a well-maintained roof.
Contact us for all your roofing repair, replacement, and installation needs!