You want a safe home. You want a warm home. And of course, you want an energy-efficient home. Do you know what can help you achieve all of these goals? Your roof. That's right, if you call up a roofer and tell them about your desires, they can recommend some roofing repairs or materials to help you achieve those desires. They may recommend a metal roof, or they might recommend adding zinc strips to the roof peak. It all depends. One thing we can promise, though, is that learning more about roofing is a good idea. This blog is a good resource, but we recommend looking for other ones, too.
Five Types Of Roof Storm Damage To Watch For
Your roof is designed to protect your home from storms, but sometimes it suffers damage in the process. Quick repairs ensure that your roof will be ready when the next storm blows through.
1. Loose Shingles
One of the most common types of damage following a storm is loose or missing shingles. High wind gusts can tear shingles so that they hang unevenly or come off completely. After the storm, you may find bits of shingles laying in your yard, and a survey of the roof will also reveal that the shingles are no longer properly attached. Leaks can quickly form where loose and missing shingles reveal the roof decking, so prompt repairs are needed.
2. Shingle Compression
Compression is a problem that occurs during a hail storm. The force of the hailstones striking the shingles knocks off their gravel coating and compresses the shingle itself. This weakens the shingle, making it less likely to properly shed water and resulting in a higher chance of leaks. Compression damage can be hard to see, so a professional inspection is recommended after a hail storm. The only way to fix the problem is to replace the compressed shingles.
3. Ruffled Shingles
Wind causes shingle ruffling. Usually strong straight line gusts are the problem. These force the shingles upward so that they are no longer laying flat. Instead, they look ruffled. The problem is water can get under ruffled shingles. The fix isn't as easy as smoothing them back down since damage may have occurred at the attachment points. Ruffling will also sometimes crack shingles. A roofer can inspect for damage and perform repairs, which may consist of reattaching loose shingles and replacing cracked ones.
4. Punctures
Punctures occur when a branch or similar object falls upon the roof, where it then punches through the shingles and sometimes even the roof decking. This is one of the more severe types of damage that require immediate repair. Your roofer must remove the puncturing item. They may temporarily tarp the roof to protect your home until a full repair, which includes replacing decking and shingles, can be completed.
5. Vent Damage
Rooftop vents can be damaged by wind and hail. The most common damage is loose or missing vent covers or dents to vents and flashing from hail. Sometimes even heavy rainfall can knock already loose vent covers off. Your roofer can inspect your vents and replace any damaged covers or flashing so that leaks don't occur.
Contact a roofing repair service if you suspect that there is storm damage on your roof.